A farmer meeting is set to take place at the Errigal Country House Hotel in Cootehill, Co. Cavan, this evening (Wednesday, November 6) to address the escalation in bovine tuberculosis (Bovine TB) breakdowns in the region.
The meeting will commence at 8:00p.m.
The farmer meeting will be chaired by the Irish Farmers’ Association’s (IFA’s) Ulster/North Leinster regional chair Frank Brady and will feature three guest speakers.
Speaking to Agriland, Brady said: “There is significant concern amongst farmers in the region surrounding the level of Bovine TB outbreaks.”
The three guest speakers are as follows:
- Deputy chief veterinary officer at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Michael Sheahan;
- Tomas Burke, IFA livestock committee senior policy executive;
- T.J. Maher, IFA animal health chair.
The IFA Ulster/North Leinster regional chair said: “Farmers are very concerned at the escalation of TB breakdowns and the impact of a Bovine TB breakdown on their farm business.”
He also highlighted the “significant mental toll” that a bovine TB breakdown can have on farmers and the financial impact to their incomes.
He said: “Better interaction from DAFM is needed with the affected farmers, many of which are having their first experience with a bovine TB breakdown in their herd.
“This is not a non-compliance issue but farmers in the midst of a bovine TB breakdown in their herd are faced with a very technical legalistic process without meaningful interaction as to what happens next and what compensation they have access to and if they qualify for it.”
Brady said the DAFM representative will be asked: ‘What is the plan from the Department to bring the disease back under control?’
According to the IFA representative: “Testing on its own is not enough, wildlife control needs to get a significant investment of resources and reducing numbers must be a priority in the short to medium-term.”
Brady has also said that “new thinking may be needed”, such as a vaccination option, which was recently highlighted by the IFA president Francie Gorman earlier this week.
The chair urged farmers in the region to attend the event where questions will be taken from the crowd in attendance also.