TB communications 'must be ready for autumn trade'

Farm groups say more needs to be done in spite of a promising start

The ICMSA has communication has improved gut 'more needs to be done' on the new rules. File picture

Farm groups have warned the Department of Agriculture’s communications on the new bovine tuberculosis (bTB) rules are “still not where they should be”, with calls for a plan to be put in place ahead of the autumn peak trading season.

The comments were made at a meeting between ICMSA and agriculture minister Martin Heydon, and come against a decline in herd incidence, with over 1,000 fewer herds restricted compared to last year. Some areas have seen a reduction of over 20%.

The downward trend notwithstanding, the ICMSA figure was adamant that now is the time to ‘double-down’ on these initial improvements and push through to a really substantial reduction result.

ICMSA deputy president Eamon Carroll said: “We do acknowledge the introduction of the special hotline — which had been committed to originally at our request and then promptly forgotten about by all except ourselves — and we are happy to acknowledge that communication has been improved. But it is still not where it should be.

“We predict another massive bout of confusion around the traditional autumn buying and selling of cattle as farmers try and work out what is within and without the new rules.

“We are adamant that the department should be using the next 10 or 12 weeks to really refine their communications and ensure that up-to-the-minute information and advice is available to all farmers easily and without fuss.”

Mr Carroll cited the department’s hotline as a perfect example of timely and efficient communication: “Farmers who suffer a breakdown can ring up and get their official status and what to expect, and that’s a great example of what’s required.

That needs to be expanded and resourced and become a ‘one stop shop’ for farmers for farmers wishing to discuss any aspects of TB issues.

He said it was a “critical requirement” that any farmer should be able to establish the bTB status of any one individual animal being considered for the mart and the clarifications must be available well in advance.

“We also told the minister and his officials that it would be incredibly useful for the department to show at what stage of the action plan they think they are at — and how they think the introduction is going so far. For Instance, do they have any collated farmer reaction yet?

“We wouldn’t be fully satisfied, for instance, that all contract rearers are fully aware of the new rules that apply to them and their testing requirements before animals are contracted out or returned to their original herds.

“The whole point here is that we all ‘normalise’ the new rules as soon and as smoothly as possible.

“We know that the rate of infection appears to be falling; now is the time to ‘double-down’ on work and effort and attack this scourge of the farmers for good.”