Defra minister Liz Truss vowed to ‘do whatever it takes’ to deal with Bovine TB, when answering questions from the national press at NFU Conference.
Ms Truss reiterated her commitment to the government’s 25 year strategy to tackle the disease, and envisaged that would include a wider ‘roll out’ of badger culls. During questions she stressed a cull would be part of the wider strategy, which also included cattle movement restrictions and vaccinations. However added that as culls had been critical to the success in tackling bTB in other countries, it needed to be carried out in Britain too.
‘I am absolutely clear that to deal with the issues that we face in this country with bTB, we need to follow the approach that was successful in other countries like Australia, NZ and Iredland,’ the minister said.
She also claimed the pilot culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire had been successful, something backed up by the government’s Chief Veterinary Office’s statement that the culls had helped tackle the disease.
But she added the problem being faced was a ‘bunch of protesters’ and MPs who were not listening to the chief veterinary officer.
Ms Truss also told reporters that she believed GM foods offered an opportunity for farmers in the UK, and called for a level playing field where British farmers could benefit from the technology.
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‘I want them to be able to do things like reduce the water usage, and reduce pesticide usage, improve productivity,’ she said.
‘The new agreement at the European Union is that there will be more discretion at a member state level, and I would like to see that go further.’
While answering questions from reporters after her speech, the minister also said origin of food labels could help British dairy products capture more of the UK market, Liz Truss has said.
Speaking at the NFU Conference, she told reporters that there was a big opportunity to expand British dairy products, and country of origin label could help with that.
‘I want to see more British yoghurt sold in our shops and British cheese sold in our shops,’ she told reporters.
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