THE Pig Industry Development Scheme has been introduced by the Meat and Livestock Commission, following last year's outbreak of classical swine fever in East Anglia.

Pig producers whose herds did not have classical swine fever but were caught by the movement controls found themselves with difficult animal welfare problems.

The aim of the scheme is to build up an industry fund to be used to provide advice, services, facilities and financial assistance to British pig producers to assist them in the prevention and/or limitation of the spread of an outbreak of pig disease.

It will be collected by the MLC in the form of an industry levy of 20p per pig slaughtered, and its first use will be to fund the industry top-up of the payments made under the Pig Welfare (Disposal) Scheme (PWDS).

Updated: 10:32 Thursday, March 22, 2001