Bernard Matthews to receive £600k bird flu compensation

Published on Thursday 19 April 2007 14:05

BERNARD Matthews will get nearly £600,000 compensation for healthy birds slaughtered in the bird flu outbreak, the Government said today.

Some 160,000 turkeys were killed at the Suffolk farm to prevent the H5N1 virus spreading.

It is most likely the infection came to Britain via imported turkey meat from Hungary, a report published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs says.

Investigators did not uncover any "proven" source for the bird flu outbreak at the Bernard Matthews plant.

Defra said such compensation was offered as an incentive to report diseases early.

An earlier investigation by the Food Standards Agency found no basis for prosecuting Bernard Matthews over the bird flu outbreak.

Animal Health Minister Ben Bradshaw said: "This episode reflects the need for constant vigilance, high levels of biosecurity and robust and well developed contingency planning."