Successive Governments have had 70 years to try and come up with workable policies to eradicate Bovine TB and the current incumbents are desperately trying to rush through ill thought-out proposals made at a stakeholder forum.
That’s according to Aontú Senator Sarah O’ Reilly who says
“There seems to be an unholy rush to get this through and like anything that is put together without real evidence and thought , it’s not going to end well. I appreciate the Minister is trying to move quickly on this, but it should not be implemented so quickly that farmers have barely had a chance to critique and question the new proposals. As one farmer put it at the stakeholder meeting “Are we just here to dot the I’s and cross the T’s? Or is this genuine engagement?”
“Some organisations were asked to make submissions but weren’t even invited to the forum. It looks like there was a bit of cherry picking going on. All stakeholders should have been invited.
The Minister for Agriculture cannot talk about new proposals for eradication and leave farmers footing the bill without even evidence that the new proposed measures will work.
If the Department is planning on bringing in additional mandatory testing for herds, then they need to fully cover the cost of it. Farmers are incredibly worried over the suggestions of increased restrictions and blacklisting of herds.
The reality is that the department is telling farmers they will have to further restrict their herds while also suggesting that they have special marked sales for ‘high-risk animals. This is a total contradiction. There will still be movement and the only difference is that farmers will be getting a much lower rate per animal.
Another shocking proposal includes the denial of compensation for farmers who buy or keep high-risk animals. The department seems intent on using the stick rather than a carrot approach when it comes to TB eradication. These proposals will do little to address the increase in reactor rates but will financially cripple farmers.
The Minister has a duty to ensure that any new proposals are entirely evidence based and the priority needs to be protecting family farm incomes”.
