Herd-owners demand share of bovine TB success

News Q&A: Bert Stewart, IFA

Livestock farmers have demanded a reduction of an “enormous and unacceptable cost burden which the Department of Agriculture continues to impose through the TB eradication programme.

IFA Animal Health Chairman Bert Stewart has said farmers haven’t seen cost reductions in the TB programme — despite reducing levels of the disease, and the Budget allocation for TB eradication being reduced from over €60m annually to €35m last year (which includes €12-14m of EU funding, and €5m in farmers’ disease levy contribution).