Earlier this month the Secretary of State, announced details of the strategy for achieving Officially Bovine Tuberculosis Free status for England by 2038.
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The announcement was the Government's response to the report by the Independent Expert Panel (IEP).
It was accompanied by the news that improvements to the four-year badger cull pilots in Somerset and Gloucestershire will be made to allow them to proceed but that any changes will be monitored to assess their impact before further decisions are taken on more badger cull licences next year.
For UK beef and dairy farmers, TB remains a disease which has a huge impact on their cattle and their farm business.
It is essential that government gets to grips with the problem, invests in the solution and properly addresses this issue.
Farmers already undertake a variety of controls on cattle and although this can be strengthened in some areas.
Rob Harrison, NFU national dairy board chair, said: “For many farmers, the news on the continued lack of badger controls in areas where TB is rife will taint their view of any further measures on cattle. It is unacceptable not to allow the option of using practical wildlife controls which have been seen to work effectively and humanely on farms in other EU member states and in the rest of the world. Without addressing the disease in wildlife TB will continue its spread unchecked.”
Charles Sercombe, NFU national livestock board chair, said: “The NFU and the farming industry will continue to work to eradicate bovine TB but we must use methods which are practical and proportionate to the disease risk and can maintain an economically sustainable livestock industry. It is hugely important that any cattle controls go hand in hand with measures to tackle the disease in badgers and non-bovines.”