TB stakeholder forum must be sensitive to farmers’ needs

The TB Stakeholder Forum must recognise the huge burden the disease has imposed on farmers, insist the ICSA.

Speaking ahead of this evening's (Wednesday, September 5)  inaugural meeting of the forum, the ICSA Animal Health and Welfare committee chairman Hugh Farrell has said that while total eradication by 2030 was the key objective, this can only be achieved with a properly funded programme which tackles all causes.
“The forum must help chart a future direction that will be sensitive to farmers’ needs while being effective in terms of TB eradication,” he said.

Despite recent Department funded research supporting the efficacy of badger vaccination, Mr Farrell said that there can be no let-up on wildlife sources. Over 1,000 badgers were culled in County Cavan alone between 2012-2017. 

On plans to display herd TB history, Mr Farrell was adamant that: “ICSA opposes herd health history being displayed in marts because it would undermine the business of such farmers.”

 

Independence
The ICSA chair is also insistent that the independence and expertise of valuers should be respected by the Department.

“The Department has recourse to a second opinion as do farmers and any other pressure on valuers is unacceptable. The value of top quality suckler and dairy cows, show calibre stock and pedigree animals cannot be ascertained by looking at average mart prices. We are very concerned that some valuers feel under pressure from the Department when valuing these kind of stock.”
Regarding the funding of the programme, Mr Farrell said that the costs of the programme ignore the very real costs imposed on farmers.

“An outbreak of TB causes immense loss, as well as stress, for farmers. However, the Department figures on the cost of the programme do not calculate the cost in term of time for farmers caused by the annual herd test requirement. ICSA conservatively estimates that this costs farmers in the order of €12.5 million per annum to cover the labour costs of rounding up the herd and putting the animals through the crush each year. In addition, farmers contribute about €32 million per annum in testing charges and the BDE levy. The eradication of TB is not just a benefit to farmers but to the wider economy and this should be reflected in public funding.”
ICSA will also be calling for a better hardship fund for farmers and more flexibility around payments, which are currently restricted to winter months. “As we have seen this year, not being able to sell stock can be a very costly business when grass growth stops.”