Of those, 10 had already been partly or wholly paid (totalling $2.5 million); pending claims totalled $4.8 million.
Yard confirmed that “some” of the claims from the Van Leeuwen Dairy Group, whose South Canterbury farms were where M. bovis was first detected in July, have been paid.
Commenting on suggestions the compensation bill could reach $100 million, Yard said many claims are still expected to come in, “and some of those will be big.”
Meanwhile, another farm in Southland has tested positive, bringing the total to 24 infected properties.
MPI said the property was connected with other infected farms in the area through movement of calves. It had been placed under movement restrictions several weeks ago.
