Day 102 - 13 Mar 95 - Page 45
1 every -- all the DOAs, the dead-on-arrivals. Suffocation
2 certainly can occur but I think it is again pretty rare.
3
4 Q. I just want to clarify, I think you say in your statement
5 that farmers are paid by the live weight of the birds; is
6 that correct?
7 A. That is correct.
8
9 MR. JUSTICE BELL: How is that done, on a weighbridge?
10 A. Yes, it is. The whole lorry, modules and everything go
11 over a weighbridge on their way into the factory.
12
13 MS. STEEL: That is how the amount they get paid is determined?
14 A. Yes.
15
16 Q. The weight of the lorry on the weighbridge?
17 A. Yes.
18
19 Q. So if there are dead birds in the crates they would still
20 be paid for those birds?
21 A. They would be -- there would be a deduction made for
22 abnormal dead-on-arrival, otherwise they are just paid on a
23 weight basis.
24
25 Q. How much different would it have to be before they would
26 have an amount deducted?
27 A. I am not sure of the exact equation.
28
29 MR. JUSTICE BELL: But the catching and transport is done by Sun
30 Valley?
31 A. Yes, or by contractors.
32
33 Q. Yes, but contractors hired by Sun Valley?
34 A. Yes.
35
36 Q. So, unless you could show that it was the independent
37 farmers' responsibility in having a bird which was not fit
38 to travel before the catcher got hold of it, death should
39 be down to you rather than the individual farmer
40 anyway.
41 A. Absolutely, and birds that are dead would not be put in
42 crates going to the factory.
43
44 Q. So, there is no reason why he should not be paid for
45 whatever is on the lorry, dead or alive, unless you can
46 show it was dead through some responsibility of his before
47 catching?
48 A. That is correct, yes.
49
50 MS. STEEL: Can you give us an example of when money has been
51 deducted from the farmer for this reason?
52 A. I cannot give an example because I am not aware of
53 one. I know there is a provision for that to occur in the
54 contract, but I cannot think of any specific example.
55
56 Q. Does Sun Valley penalise producers for Hock Burns and
57 things like that?
58 A. Yes, there is a deduction made on their payment for
59 Hock Burns, so the birds are graded into the factory and
60 deductions made.
