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Compensation & Operational Costs

Info for affected farmers

What you are covered for

Operational costs are costs you incur because of the restrictions you are under. You may be able to request reimbursement for some on-farm costs if there is an urgent need, or to meet M. bovis Programme requirements. Examples include additional transport costs, mustering and feed supplies.

Compensation is for losses you experience as a direct result of MPI’s exercise of regulatory powers as part of the M. bovis Response. Examples include damage to or destruction of property and losses as a result of restrictions imposed on the movement or disposal of goods (e.g. animals).

 Compensation vs Operational Costs - FAQs

Farmer tip

Good record keeping is essential to any claim. Keep clear records of your contracts, correspondence, verbal instructions given by MPI and AQ staff, and details of any losses you have suffered.

Operational Costs

You need to seek prior agreement on any actions and operational costs you wish to claim for.

Operational costs need pre-approval before the expenditure is incurred. Operational payments are considered as part of any compensable losses claimed.

Work with your Farm Systems Manager (FSM), who will help you to have these approved.

You can apply for support for the following on-farm operational costs.

  • Equipment hire - where you need to hire extra farm equipment for animal welfare reasons, or for farming operations to continue.
  • Animal feed - if required to ensure the welfare of animals under movement restriction or where the animals cannot be moved off the property.
  • Fencing - where existing fencing is not adequate to contain animals for the protection of neighbouring farms. Costs could include hiring additional casual labour and temporary fencing materials.
  • Cleaning - costs associated with extra cleaning and disinfection required under a Notice of Direction (NOD) or RP (Restricted Place).
  • Mustering cattle for census or for each sampling round - discuss this with your Farm Systems Manager.
  • Processing charges - M. bovis processing charges from the meat processor (unless already paid by the M. bovis Programme)
  • Vet charges - You may be reimbursed for these. The M. bovis Programme may also pay for certifying that your animals are fit for transport.
  • Transport - can include:
    • transporting stock to the meat processors
    • specific M. bovis cleaning and disinfection of the stock truck
    • transporting replacement stock if you were issued a Notice of Direction (NOD) to cull your original stock

For more information about operational costs, please talk your Farm Systems Manager.

Compensation

Are you the legal owner?

MPI can only pay the legal owner of the affected property - you need to provide evidence to show that you’re the legal owner of the property, goods or stock directly affected by MPI's exercise of powers. 

When to make a claim

You can claim compensation from the date the loss was incurred. Claims cannot be made in advance of a loss being incurred. All claims should be submitted to MPI within one year from the date the loss could be reasonably verified.

Making a claim - checklist of what we need

Make sure you've provided us with:

  1. a completed claim form, correct to the type of loss you have experienced as a direct result of an exercise of powers authorised by the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI):

     Stock destruction loss form

     Beef production loss form

     Loss of milk production form

     Grazing compensation form

     Loss of Income form

     Repopulation form

  2. Supporting documentation and information
  3. Any additional information that explains your circumstances.

Once you have completed your claim form, email a copy along with your supporting information to compensationcoordinator@mpi.govt.nz

Someone from the compensation team will contact you with the outcome as soon as possible.

Compensation assistance team - DBCAT

We encourage you to use DBCAT (DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb NZ Compensation Assistance Team) to help you put your compensation claim together. 

DBCAT provides a free service supported by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and run independently by DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb NZ.

They will help you to:

  • understand whether you can get compensation
  • clarify what losses you can claim for
  • work through the compensation claim forms
  • advise you about the compensation claim process

 Compensation Guide for FarmersThis guide from DBCAT has a lot of valuable advice about the compensation process, and how they can help.

Contact DBCAT

How we process your claim

Once MPI’s Compensation Team receives your compensation claim form, along with all your supporting information, they will start the assessment. They'll then seek approval of any decision.

Who to contact

For general information about claiming compensation, please contact the Compensation Coordinator:

  • Phone: 0800 00 83 33
  • Email: compensationcoordinator@mpi.govt.nz
  • Post: Ministry for Primary Industries, PO Box 2526, Wellington 6140
  • Courier: Ministry for Primary Industries, Charles Fergusson Tower, 34-38 Bowen Street, Wellington 6011