'Utter confusion' among farmers on new bovine TB rules, say ICMSA
The ICMSA have called for more communication regarding bTB rules.
There is reportedly “utter confusion” at farm level regarding the status of the new bovine TB (bTB) rules introduction, says the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA).
The deputy president of ICMSA, Eamon Carroll, said that despite the "alarm bells" ringing loudly throughout 2025 on the surge in bTB, it was not until September 2025 that we saw the response plan launched, and now, just over six months later, farmers were no wiser about what exactly is going to happen and when those changes will take place.
“The only thing that we know for certain at this stage is that the department is intent on imposing very specific rules on farmers and very little on themselves or other actors in the cattle supply chain. We’ve been pointing this out repeatedly, and we still think it must be addressed by the minister.
"If we are to have clear targets on farmers, then we also need to have similarly clear, verifiable targets and metrics on the department itself, on marts, on dealers and on feedlots. It cannot continue to be just a one-way system only applied to farmers,” said Mr Carroll.
The ICMSA highlighted that bTB is a massive issue at the farm level, with many families suffering from farm management, financial and personal perspectives. Mr Carroll said the plan must have farmer buy-in if it is to succeed in slowing and then reversing the TB incidence.
“That’s why we are becoming alarmed as we get reports from across the country that the new rules are being implemented in some places and not in others, along with different interpretations of the same rule depending on location. That’s just unacceptable and defeats the purpose of the whole exercise.
"If the department is serious about bringing farmers with them on TB, then it should immediately communicate with all farmers, setting out in detail the new rules. Notably, how they will actually work and, critically, on what date the rules will be applied?” said Mr Carroll.
“Farmers were told in early 2025 that changes were coming in relation to bTB. A year later, and farmers do not know where they stand on such a serious matter,” Mr Carroll said.
In response, a spokesperson for the department said: “Minister Heydon launched the bTB Action Plan in September 2025. The aim of the plan is to reset the TB programme by putting in place measures necessary to tackle the current disease situation throughout the country.
"Budget 2026 provided an increased budget for the TB programme with €157 million allocated for 2026. This will allow the TB programme to focus on reducing disease by implementing the measures outlined in the bTB Action Plan.
"Some of the measures have been introduced, and some measures require work on IT systems, which is being prioritised. Farmers and all stakeholders will be notified in advance of any changes to the TB programme through communication campaigns starting the week beginning 30th March,” the spokesperson concluded.
Communications from the minister directly to farmers with information on these changes are also expected in the coming weeks.
