Producer Incentives in Livestock Disease Management
Management of farm animal diseases is increasingly important in view of the threats
they pose to farm incomes and sometimes even to the viability of farm enterprises,
wildlife and humans. This report analyses the incentives for individual farmers to
manage such risks and the governments' role to align farmer incentives with public
objectives.
Identifying and assessing animal disease risks, as well as understanding their financial
implications, are central to decisions made by farmers. The report examines the economic
drivers of farmer decisions and government economic instruments, such as compensation
related to livestock epidemics. It further discusses a spectrum of psychological and
social drivers of farmer behaviour and emphasises the importance of government's more
extensive role in the areas of information, communication and education related to
disease management. Finally, farmer collective action in various areas of disease
management is considered, such as capacity building, risk insurance, surveillance,
and responses to disease outbreaks. The case studies of livestock disease management
in Australia, Chile and Korea complement this analysis.
Published on September 11, 2017