Stock scheme price hike warning

UK - The Chairman of the National Fallen Stock Company has said he will consider changes to the collection scheme but warned this could triple the subscription fee. Responding to criticism of the scheme in FARMERS WEEKLY (News, Jan 21), Michael Seals said that NFSCo could change the type of service it offered but it would come at a cost.

We could change the type of service we offer. Maybe we ought to have regional fieldsmen and women, maybe we ought to offer a helpline service along the lines of over-30-month collection where we centralise the collection and charges, he said.

I would welcome any input from stakeholders for any proposed changes, but they would come at a cost, a big cost – maybe three times the current subscription at least.

Mr Seals, a beef farmer from Derbyshire, pointed out that in the first four weeks of the scheme there had been over 15,000 successful collections and 20,000 farmers had joined.

28 January 2005