NOBLE FOODS is set to launch an insurance scheme that it says will protect producers in its supply chain from the risk of events like avian influenza or a salmonella outbreak.
NFU Mutual will offer the new product, which will cover avian influenza, salmonella, and ‘poultry all risks’.
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All risks covers perils such as fire, storm and theft but also include machinery breakdown, heat stress, and perils called ‘any other visible and accidental cause’ – for example, if vermin caused birds to smother, or a fox in the hen house, the insurer said.
It will be a requirement for producers who work with Noble Foods, the firm’s agriculture director Graham Atkinson confirmed.
“We believe strongly in safeguarding our farmers, and we are making the insurance scheme a requirement for producers who work with Noble Foods.
“Farmers who already have insurance policies in place with NFU Mutual will be switched into the new scheme without incurring any additional costs and any savings will immediately be passed along to them.”
‘Significant savings’
He added: “We’re really pleased that we’ve been able to use our scale to secure significant savings for our producers with NFU Mutual.
“It’s our goal to protect the overall business sustainability of our producer partners, and in doing research, we realised that a number of our producers didn’t have the necessary cover to protect them from the ongoing risk posed by Avian Influenza and Salmonella.
“Both Avian Influenza and Salmonella can have a devastating impact on the livelihood of a producer that isn’t adequately protected, and our aim is to offer affordable insurance to our hardworking producer community.”
NFU Mutual’s poultry specialists will contact producers, Noble foods said, and the policies will start to come into effect from 1 July this year.
