The TB Forum will reconvene at the end of this month, August, according to a representative of one farm organisation.

Hugh Farrell, animal health and welfare chairperson of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA), noted that Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Dara Calleary, has scheduled a meeting of the forum for an as yet unconfirmed date at the end of the month.

Farrell welcomed the development, saying: “The ICSA has been consistently calling for the TB Forum to sit again in order to address the many outstanding issues yet to be finalised, particularly the issues around compensation and the wildlife programme.

“ICSA understands that Minister Calleary will be attending the meeting and we look forward to working with the minister to ensure the success of the TB Eradication Programme,” Farrell added in a brief statement.

Calf scheme payouts

In other news related to animal welfare, payments have now commenced under the Calf Investment Scheme, Minister Calleary announced today, Friday, August 7.

The Calf Investment Scheme was launched last December and opened for applications on January 7, 2020.

Over 2,300 applications were received and approved to proceed under the scheme.

The primary policy objective of the scheme is to “support farmers in ensuring the welfare of calves born on Irish dairy farms, recognising the operational challenges associated with feeding in the early weeks of their lives”.