Movement on bTB strategy

THERE is finally to be some significant movement in the fight against bovine tuberculosis (bTB), some seven months after the Agriculture Minister launched his department’s long-term eradication strategy against the costly disease.

Farmers, who have long been frustrated by a perceived lack of action to tackle the issue, will soon learn more about how Minister Edwin Poots and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) intend to roll out their eradication strategy and, specifically, how a planned badger removal programme will be delivered.

Currently, the annual cost of the bTB programme in Northern Ireland is around £36-£40 million, almost half of which is paid in compensation for infected cattle. When launching his strategy in March, Mr Poots said this was “simply not sustainable”.

The strategy suggested introducing add-itional cattle measures, action on wildlife, the testing of non-bovines, enhanced bio-security and, in the medium term, a review of compensation to farmers for animals removed under the TB Eradication Programme.

There has been little in the way of action since then, however this week the TB Eradication Partnership (TBEP), an in-dependent advisory body set up to assist DAERA, announced a series of information sessions, be-ginning next week, to help inform farmers about the role they will play in eradicating the disease.

Seán Hogan, Chair of the TBEP, pictured below, commented: “We have spent considerable time over the past four years providing input and advice to the development of the strategy. The strategy has been co-designed with stakeholders using scientific evidence and benchmarked against other jurisdictions to ensure we have the best possible approach.

“We were conscious of the frustration within the farming community, so we very much welcomed the publication of the Minister’s strategy earlier this year and recognise the Minister’s strong commitment to the delivery of all the actions within it,” Mr Hogan said.

“The TBEP has a key role in engagement and communication of the strategy and in the delivery of a number of actions within it.

“To help farmers learn more about the strategy and specifically how the badger removal programme will be delivered, we are organising a series of information sessions across Northern Ireland.

“Representatives from DAERA and the farming organisations will explain how the badger removal programme will operate and what role farmers will have.”

The first of the sessions will take place at 7.30pm on October 24 in Enniskillen, with further sessions taking place in Belfast, Cookstown, Armagh and Portrush.

Mr Hogan continued: “Implementing this bTB Eradication Strategy will take courage, compromise, the support of farmers and the broader farming industry.

“There is also a need for on-going scientific research into this complex disease. We will also need the support of political parties and the Assembly to ensure effective delivery.

“Having provided advice and input throughout the development of the Strategy, in partnership with other key stakeholders, the TBEP is committed to working with the department and farmers to implement it.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the farming industry working in real partnership with government to deliver on the goal to eradicate bTB in Northern Ireland. We look forward to meeting you at one of the information sessions.”

The Information Sessions are scheduled to take place as follows (To register for any of the sessions please email TBBR.Policybranch@daera-ni.gov.uk):

October 24: CAFRE Campus Enniskillen, 2 Mullaghmeen Road, Levaghy, Enniskillen BT74 4GF;

October 27: La Mon Hotel, 41 Gransha Road, Belfast BT23 5RF;

November 2: CAFRE Campus Loughry Cookstown, Dungannon Road, Cookstown BT80 9AA;

November 3: CAFRE Campus Greenmount, Tirgany Road, Antrim, BT41 4PU;

November 9: Armagh City Hotel, 2 Friary Road, Armagh BT60 4FR;

November 10: Royal Court Hotel, 233 Ballybogey Road, Portrush BT56 8NF.