Decision No. 738/QD-TTg On providing financial support for the prevention and control of foot-and-mouth disease in livestock

Pursuant to …;

On the matter of funding for prevention and control of foot-and-mouth disease in livestock

________________

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Considering the proposal of the Ministry of Finance (document number 6104/BTC-NSNN dated May 16, 2006), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (document number 1168/BNN-TC dated May 15, 2006), and the State Bank of Vietnam (document number 3682/NHNN-TD dated May 15, 2006).

Pursuant to …;

Article 1The state budget will provide funding for prevention and control of foot-and-mouth disease in livestock for the following contents and levels of support:

1. The central government budget will cover 100% of the cost of purchasing foot-and-mouth vaccine for the control zone and 50% for the buffer zone to vaccinate livestock that must be vaccinated according to the regulations of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The local government budget will cover 50% of the cost of purchasing vaccines for the buffer zone.

The state budget will ensure the costs of vaccination.

2. Direct support will be provided to households, individuals, farms, and cooperatives raising livestock that must be culled due to foot-and-mouth disease as follows:

a) An average support level of 10,000 VND per kilogram live weight for pigs;

b) An average support level of 12,000 VND per kilogram live weight for cattle, buffalo, goats, sheep, deer, and antelopes.

3. Support for the cost of culling livestock at an average rate of 150,000 VND per head for cattle and buffalo, and 50,000 VND per head for pigs, goats, sheep, deer, and antelopes during the period of the epidemic, as stipulated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development regarding veterinary work, including: costs for culling livestock, disinfectants, and other chemicals for sterilization, decontamination, and cleaning of animal shelters and the environment; protective clothing and allowances for those participating in culling operations...

4. The period during which the state budget will provide support as specified in Clause 1, 2, and 3 of this Article shall be from May 1, 2006 until the date when the competent authority announces the end of the epidemic.

5. The state budget will ensure funding for propaganda, inspection, and guidance on prevention and control of the epidemic; purchase of equipment and supplies for detection, diagnosis, and prevention of the epidemic as prescribed and guided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; allowances for those participating in prevention and control of the epidemic; and implementation of tasks at quarantine checkpoints.

The allowance system for those participating in the prevention and control of foot-and-mouth disease and performing tasks at quarantine checkpoints shall be implemented in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Finance.

Article 2On borrowing by livestock breeders

1. Debt moratorium for one year (for pig farming) and two years (for cattle, buffalo, goat, sheep, deer, and antelope farming) for the outstanding debt as of April 30, 2006, for households, individuals, enterprises, farms, and cooperatives raising livestock at the central and local levels who have borrowed from commercial banks and credit institutions permitted under the law for livestock breeding but were culled due to foot-and-mouth disease as stipulated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

2. Households, individuals, enterprises, farms, and cooperatives raising livestock currently enjoying the debt moratorium as stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article may continue to borrow funds if they need capital to restore livestock breeding or switch to another industry, in accordance with the law.

Article 3Principles of support and sources of funding for prevention and control of foot-and-mouth disease in livestock

1. The central government budget will cover 50%, and the local government budget will cover 50% of the funding for prevention and control of foot-and-mouth disease in livestock as specified in Clause 1 (excluding the cost of vaccine support for the control zone), Clause 2, Clause 3, and Clause 5 of Article 1 of this Decision.

2. For provinces newly adjusted in administrative boundaries, the supplementary balance from the central budget will be supported at 100%.

3. For provinces with a large number of culled livestock, if the local budget expenditure exceeds 50% of the local budget reserve for 2006 assigned by the Prime Minister, the central budget will supplement the excess over 50% of the local budget reserve for 2006 to enable the province to implement the measures.

4. Hanoi City and Ho Chi Minh City will proactively use their local budget reserves to implement the measures.

5. For provinces with low additional costs for preventing and controlling foot-and-mouth disease in livestock (less than 1 billion VND), the locality will proactively use its local budget to address the issue.

6. The central government budget will cover 100% of the cost of purchasing vaccines and prevention and control expenses for central-level livestock breeding facilities. The local government budget will ensure the cost of purchasing vaccines and prevention and control expenses for state-owned livestock breeding facilities managed by the locality.

Article 4. Implementation

1. The Ministry of Finance will guide the allowance system for those participating in the prevention and control of foot-and-mouth disease and performing tasks at quarantine checkpoints; coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development based on the extent of damage in each locality, the actual expenditure of the local budget for the prevention and control of foot-and-mouth disease, and the provisions of this Decision, to use the central budget reserve for 2006 to support funding for each province and centrally-administered city, and periodically compile and report the results to the Prime Minister.

2. The State Bank of Vietnam will take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to guide the implementation of Article 2 of this Decision.

3. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will specify the types of livestock that must be compulsorily vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease; the types of livestock infected with foot-and-mouth disease that must be culled and the culling procedures; and take the lead in inspecting the organization of disease prevention and control and culling of infected livestock in localities.

4. The Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities are responsible for:

a) On the basis of the situation in the locality, actual costs for disease prevention and control work, and current regulations to decide specific support levels for each type of livestock that has been destroyed; publicly announce the policy and support levels through mass media and at village and commune levels, ensuring direct support reaches livestock farmers who have suffered losses; allocate funds for disease prevention and control work and allowances for forces participating in disease prevention and control according to local directives. Use support funds for their intended purposes effectively, without waste or corruption;

b) Proactively utilize local budget reserves and other legitimate financial sources to implement foot-and-mouth disease prevention and control measures in livestock and provide support to individual livestock farmers whose animals have been destroyed due to the disease; promptly compile reports and request the Ministry of Finance to support funding (the central government's share) to implement these measures;

c) Upon completion of the disease outbreak, report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Finance on the results of foot-and-mouth disease prevention and control work in livestock for compilation and reporting to the Prime Minister;

d) Direct or require livestock farmers in the locality (who are not eligible for support under Clause 1, Article 1 of this Decision) whose livestock must be vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease as required by disease prevention and control efforts to arrange funds to purchase vaccines and vaccination costs themselves;

Article 5. This Decision shall take effect from the date of signing.

Article 6. The Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of agencies under the Government, Chairpersons of People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities are responsible for implementing this Decision./.