Devon County Council’s Cabinet approved new support measures on Tuesday, November 10, for farming businesses affected by the bluetongue virus, offering rent payment flexibility and pushing for improved rural broadband.
The decision responds directly to the devastating impact of the disease on Devon’s agricultural community. It follows an earlier October 9 meeting where the Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee pressed for targeted assistance.
- Bluetongue Vector Transmission: Bluetongue is a non-contagious viral disease affecting ruminants—primarily sheep and cattle—spread via biting midges of the genus Culicoides.
- Preventative Efficacy: Veterinary authorities emphasize that targeted vaccination protocols remain the primary clinical defense mechanism against livestock mortality and morbidity.
Under the agreement approved on November 10, tenants on the council’s County Farms Estate facing direct financial distress from confirmed bluetongue cases can access alternative rental arrangements. The council will weigh “reasonable and proportionate alternative rental payment plans” to provide breathing space during cashflow crunches.
“Can I reassure everybody those discussions have already taken place, to sum up literally, we are the listening landlord,” said Councillor Simon Clist during Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting.
“For our County Farms tenants directly affected by confirmed cases, being flexible about how rent could provide some welcome breathing space at an incredibly difficult time,” said Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin.
Alongside financial measures, the council is ramping up pressure on the Government to fix broadband gaps in isolated farming areas. Officials argue that poor digital connectivity severely hampers farmers’ ability to manage regulatory reporting and coordinate disease responses.
Cottle-Hunkin will write to relevant Government ministers demanding targeted funding. The push asks authorities to prioritize the Gigabit Voucher scheme, extend existing Project Gigabit contracts, and set up a dedicated rural broadband fund.
Clist said that agricultural businesses are grappling with a heavy disease load concurrently, including bluetongue, Shamonda virus, Schmallenberg, and avian influenza.
The local authority is also asking Devon MPs to raise the outbreak’s local impact in Parliament to inform future national agricultural policies and biosecurity frameworks. This builds on last month’s reinstatement of the council’s Rural Support and Wellbeing Programme, backed by up to £180,000 across three years to deliver practical advice and early intervention services.
Separately, Councillor Louise Wainwright is convening researchers, veterinarians, and farmers to evaluate whether specific biological agents, such as fungi, could suppress populations of the midge vectors responsible for transmitting the bluetongue virus.
| Support Measure | Target / Scope | Administrative Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| County Farms Rent Relief | Tenant farmers with confirmed bluetongue cases | Reasonable and proportionate alternative payment plans |
| Rural Support Programme | Farming families across Devon | Up to £180,000 over three years for wellbeing and early intervention |
| Broadband Expansion | Rural agricultural communities | Project Gigabit contracts and Gigabit Voucher prioritization |
“Vaccination remains the most important way to protect animals from the disease,” Wainwright stressed.
- Devon County Council: Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee Documentation
