FUW welcomes support for TB eradication programme

THE Farmers' Union of Wales has welcomed the National Assembly's assured support for a comprehensive plan of action to eradicate bovine TB in Wales.

The plan was supported by an ample majority of AMs at yesterday's (April 15) Plenary session. FUW president, Gareth Vaughan said: "An holistic approach to bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is long overdue and I am very glad that a vast majority of AMs have accepted that it is imperative that the disease in both the wildlife and cattle population is targeted in order to eradicate this terrible disease.

"TB causes unthinkable suffering in our badger population, terrible hardship in farming communities and results in the slaughter of thousands of cattle across Wales and thus the problem needs to tackled head on.

"It is now critical that these measures are rolled out as soon as possible, since every day that goes past without holistic action results in further increases in disease incidences."

"As a Union we will provide the Welsh Assembly Government with all the help they need over the coming months to implement the action programme to eradicate the disease.

"However we must remember that the problem of TB will not be solved overnight but that each and every measure taken will take us a step closer to realising our eventual goal of a healthy cattle population and a healthy wildlife population."