Press Releases

Livestock farmers will be consulted on demerit point system

        The Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, today (January 22) assured livestock farmers that they would be fully consulted before a demerit point system was to be implemented.

 

        His assurance was made at a meeting initiated by Member of the Legislative Council, Mr Albert Chan, and pig and chicken farm representatives to exchange views on a proposed demerit point scheme by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) to alleviate the environmental problems posed by livestock farming.

 

        Responding to the industry's worries about the implementation of the scheme, Dr Chow said the scheme was targeted at illicit activities carried out by livestock farmers, their agents or employees.

 

        "There is no need for law-abiding farmers to worry about the proposed system," he said, stressing that the Administration would fully consult the Legislative Council and the trade before actual implementation.

 

        The scheme was mooted in the wake of the sporadic occurrence of Japanese encephalitis cases in Yuen Long and other areas, causing public concern that pig farms might pose health hazards to neighbouring areas.

 

        Under the proposed scheme, demerit points will be registered against a farm licence if any livestock farm operators, his/her agent or employee is convicted of any offences such as illegal discharge of waste water, improper disposal of animal carcasses, etc.

 

        If a licensee accumulates a certain number of points, his/her livestock keeping licence would be revoked automatically by AFCD.

 

        Noting that Hong Kong was a densely populated cosmopolitan place with limited land resources, Dr Chow said this had posed considerable constraints for the agricultural sector.

 

        Given the various public health risks and the environmental problems associated with conventional livestock farming, the potential for further development of this industry in Hong Kong was extremely limited, he added.

 

        Dr Chow said the Government was willing to render assistance to those livestock farmers who opted to switch to other line of business but met with genuine difficulties during the transitional period.

 

        He said he would also consider the pig farmers' suggestion of surrendering their farm licences on a voluntary basis, by offering ex-gratia payment or other forms of assistance if necessary.

 

        Currently, there are 276 licensed pig farms and 148 chicken and 46 pigeon farms in Hong Kong.

 

Ends/Saturday, January 22, 2005

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