NFU ACTION ON BOVINE TB
Dear Member,
I am sure you will have shared my bitter disappointment over the announcement by the Secretary of State on bTB last month, in particular the decision not to rollout more widely the badger culls piloted last year in Somerset and Gloucestershire to tackle the reservoir of disease in wildlife.
What was particularly frustrating about this decision was that, despite the undoubted and admirable commitment of Owen Paterson, it seems to have been heavily influenced by coalition politics and a flawed report by the Independent Expert Panel (IEP). In our view, the IEP report was undermined by dubious assumptions and attempts to draw scientific conclusions from pilots that were never set up as controlled experiments.
Our disappointment and frustration at this outcome only makes the NFU even more determined to fight on behalf of our members to eradicate bTB, by tackling the disease in cattle and wildlife but, while doing so, not losing sight of the importance of maintaining a profitable cattle industry.
On the same day that Owen Paterson announced there would be no new cull areas in 2014, the Government issued its strategy for eradicating bovine TB. This re-affirms the government’s intention to tackle the disease in wildlife and subsequently both Owen Paterson and George Eustice have confirmed that a further roll-out has not been abandoned but only postponed.
We broadly support the Government's Strategy but what it lacks is any detail or plan as to how it will be turned into action. It is absolutely vital that we have a clear and detailed road map and the NFU will be doing everything in its power to get this. We will be focusing on the following actions over the next few months:
- Supporting the cull companies in Somerset and Gloucestershire to deliver successful culls.
- The Government Strategy makes a clear commitment to controlling the disease in wildlife and we are urgently identifying additional ways in which Government can put this can be put into practice. The Secretary of State’s announcement also included a proposal for vaccinating badgers in the edge areas. We support this and will be seeking early implementation.
- Ensure the cattle testing and movement regime achieves the right balance between reducing any unnecessary burdens on farm businesses and ensuring maximum effectiveness in preventing spread of the disease.
- Persuade Government to introduce a surveillance programme for non-bovine species such as camelids and goats, with powers to test and remove animals where necessary and fair compensation for animals slaughtered.
- Identify any knowledge and evidence required to deliver a successful eradication programme and ensure that the relevant research is commissioned by Government with clear timelines for reporting.
- Ensure that the AHVLA has sufficient resources and data so that it can improve surveillance, deal with breakdowns in a timely fashion and understand what is happening in individual breakdown casesso that the appropriate action is taken.
- Plan for an independent delivery body to take over once an effective action plan has been established.
There is clearly much to be done to get on top of bTB and you have my assurance that, despite the setback of the Secretary of State's announcement, the NFU will continue its relentless efforts to address this terrible disease.
Meurig Raymond, NFU President, May 9, 2014