The Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) has hit back at remarks made by the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) president that “marts need to play their part” in restricting the spread of bovine tuberculosis (TB).
Denis Drennan told the ICMSA Annual General Meeting (AGM) earlier this week (Monday, December 2) that increasing levels of the disease across the country is “a massive concern” for farmers.
The ICMSA president said: “We can’t keep doing what we are doing and expect a different result. What we are doing just isn’t working and we cannot stay at this.
“A structured deer cull needs to commence early in 2025 and new strategy for managing badger setts.
“The focus cannot always be on restricting farmers, all actors in animal movements – very specifically including marts – need to play their part.”
TB
But ICOS believes Denis Drennan’s viewpoint is “ill considered” and “an impugnment of the essential role played by marts as a key part of Irish agriculture”.
The organisation has take the position that Denis Drennan’s comments “unfairly targeted marts” and ignored what it described as the “significant efforts already being undertaken by marts to ensure the health and safety of all livestock in the interests of farmers”.
Seán Brosnan, chair of the ICOS marts committee, also said he was disappointed by the ICMSA president’s comments.
Brosnan added: “Statistics would instead indicate that most reactors are identified from dairy herds that rely on contract rearing or where animals bought in from other herds directly. TB is a complex and multi-faceted problem, as are the solutions required, but this shouldn’t be characterised by needlessly having a go at the marts.
“The rise in herd TB incidence is indeed a serious issue, but progress will come through collaboration, not misplaced blame or distractive scapegoating.
“Marts remain committed to their role in TB control and stand ready to work alongside the ICMSA and all other stakeholders to implement evidence-based solutions for the benefit of Ireland’s farming community.”
He also said that “rather than directing unwarranted criticism at marts, it is anticipated that ICMSA should continue to engage constructively with all stakeholders in the agricultural sector”.
Figures recently published by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) show that 37,964 TB) reactor animals were removed in the 12 months to the end of September 2024.
According to the latest quarterly report from DAFM on ‘National Bovine Tuberculosis Statistics’ this compares to 25,916 reactors that were removed in the period from October 2, 2022 to October 1, 2023.
DAFM also outlined that the total expenditure on the National Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) Eradication Programme soared to €66.1 million by the end of quarter three 2024