Updated 08/04/2015
For over 60 years Bovine TB has plagued the countryside. It is a complex, challenging and costly disease, for both farmer and tax payer, and the UFU is keen to see it eradicated in Northern Ireland. Over the past few years the UFU has been working with DARD and other industry stakeholders to develop an action plan for tackling Bovine TB in Northern Ireland. The three strands of the action plan include:
- Developing a real partnership between government and industry
- Controlling the spread of TB between cattle
- Addressing the wildlife factor
The UFU currently sits on the TB Core Stakeholders Group and progress continues to be made on controlling the spread of TB between cattle. However, dealing with TB in wildlife still remains a slow process.
In June 2014, DARD announced that the first phase of the Test, Vaccinate, Remove research project would get underway in Banbridge. The UFU was disappointed that the proposals for this project were significantly revised and were no longer what we had expected in terms of process and timescale. The UFU has been calling for immediate action to tackle the issue of TB in wildlife and while not exactly what we were hoping for this research project better than doing nothing. There is frustration on the ground that it has taken a long period of time to even get to this point and DARD need to be sure that this project is scientifically robust and will deliver results.
Also, the UFU is closely following the development of the TB Strategic Partnership Group (TBSPG), which is a Government/industry strategic partnership with the remit to lead on the development of a long term strategy to eradicate TB from the cattle population in Northern Ireland. It is a Ministerial advisory group of independent members and senior government officials and will be all encompassing looking at issues such as TB compensation; biosecurity; communication; and wildlife.
In January 2015, the UFU submitted its views to the TBSP outlining our position with regards to the control of Bovine TB in NI including how to reduce the incidence of TB in cattle, the impact of TB on the NI farming industry over the last number of years and how the cost of the programme could be reduced.
More information about Bovine TB can be found on DARD's TB Home page.
