THE £35 a pig compensation for farmers caught up in the aftermath of swine fever was roundly condemned last week.

The National Pig Association described MAFF's announcement as a disaster and the Meat and Livestock Commission said it was totally inadequate.

The Agriculture Minister, Mr Nick Brown, said the animal welfare disposal scheme would offer £35 a pig for animals over 60kg and £10 for smaller animals.

But the NPA tore into the government saying that £100 a pig would only just have reflected the market value and costs of keep.

"When our members do their sums tonight, they will be tearing their hair out trying to see how to cover the shortfall," said Mr John Godfrey, NPA chairman.

When a similar outbreak occurred in Holland, that country's politicians paid their producers the full market value.

"Why is it that the British government cannot fully support British agriculture when it is so desperately in need and clearly behaving responsibly and looking after the welfare of the animals in its charge?" demanded Mr Godfrey.

Pig producers in the restricted areas have been unable to move their stock and so have been forced to keep pigs longer than normal.

Mr Godfrey said they had worked tirelessly in co-operation with government vets and at not inconsiderable personal cost. "In this context £35 per pig is doubly inadequate and a disaster," he said.

He went on to say that many producers were already beyond their credit limit with banks and feed suppliers after the worst two years of trading on record.

Mr Godfrey pledged that the NPA would do all it could to help those families affected. "I regret to say, though, that for some the shortfall will be just too much," he said.

The MLC puts the average cost of producing a 70kg pig at £66. That figure does not allow for any margin and does not take into account the extra costs involved in keeping pigs longer.

"So this compensation scheme will leave farmers out of pocket as they struggle to recover from the worst crisis in living memory," said an MLC statement.

Mr Don Curry, MLC chairman, revealed that they, the banks and other industry stakeholders gave information to the government on the costs pig farmers had to bear.

"The level of compensation is totally inadequate in reimbursing pig farmers for the costs they have incurred," said Mr Curry. "They have bent over backwards to be as co-operative as possible in dealing with this outbreak. They are the innocent victims of the disease.

"It comes on top of the most difficult period in living memory with accrued losses of about £350m. Clearly, for many pig farmers, this could be the final straw."

Mr Richard Campbell, British Pig Executive chairman, said he was stunned by the compensation, which was only half the cost of production.

"The industry has really suffered over the last two years and this will further limit supplies of high-welfare British pork, bacon and ham to consumers at a time when they are recognising its value," he said