The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has said welcomed the launch of the new bovine TB Eradication Strategy for Northern Ireland is a “step in the right direction”.
The proposals for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs’ new bovine TB Eradication Strategy was launched this morning (July 16) at the Greenmount Dairy Centre.
The strategy sets out a number of proposals, including asks for the industry such as improved biosecurity measures, but also proposes radical changes to movement restrictions to ease cash flow and overstocking issues on farms which have been closed for extended periods.
The document includes proposals for wildlife intervention in the form of a badger cull – something the UFU has been calling for, for some time.
A UFU spokesman said the strategy was “long overdue” and added that the union will take time to scrutinise the document in full before commenting on its contents.
It comes just weeks after the UFU threatened to end its cooperation with the department during a meeting with the chief veterinary officer over what it felt was a lack of action over bovine TB.
UFU president Victor Chestnutt said: “The UFU has been calling for DAERA to stop dragging their heels and to address their continued inaction on bTB for more than a generation.
“It is a step in the right direction that finally a bTB eradication strategy has been released, but it continues to be the most stressful issue for Northern Ireland livestock farmers.
“Going forward, wildlife intervention needs to be part of the TB programme – a position that has been long held by the UFU. There is a high risk of badgers spreading bTB and meaningful action to control the disease in wildlife in a way that is evidence-based and cost-effective, needs to be put in place in Northern Ireland to protect cattle.
“It is not enough to have an approach to address TB in cattle and have no strategy to tackle the infection wherever it is in the environment. Both go hand-hand and are key to successfully eradicating the disease.
“Now, the UFU will consider the document in detail and we will provide our view in due course.”
The consultation will run from July 16, until September 10, and can be accessed here on the DAERA website.
More detail and analysis on this breaking news story to follow on Agriland.