NFU Cymru welcomes Assembly TB report

NFU Cymru has welcomed a report produced today by the National Assembly for Wales' Rural Development Sub-Committee on bovine Tuberculosis.

Mr Davies, NFU Cymru President said, "I am pleased that the sub-committee report reflects many of NFU Cymru's representations which were drawn to the committee's attention through both written and oral evidence. I am especially pleased that this cross-party committee endorses the One Wales document's stated objective that TB should be eradicated."

Quoting from the report itself Mr Davies said, "I am also pleased that the report acknowledges the link between TB in cattle and in badgers. As the report itself puts it: We believe, having reviewed all the available evidence, that there is a proven link between the transmission of TB between cattle and badgers. We also believe that TB cannot be eradicated without addressing the reservoir of infection in wildlife. NFU Cymru has always argued that a holistic approach to TB eradication is essential and we welcome the recommendation that an Intensive Treatment Area be established in Wales to provide further evidence on the effects of the spread of TB if culling wildlife in an area with hard boundaries.

Mr Davies said, "This report should strengthen the Minister for Rural Affairs' resolve and it is hoped that she will now act on this since there appears to be cross party consensus."

Mr Davies went on to say, "There have been recent issues over the time taken for the removal of reactor animals from farm, I am glad that this report calls for investment to ensure that reactor animals are removed within the set deadlines. There is nothing more distressing for farmers than animals destined for slaughter due to TB remaining on farm."

However, Mr Davies sounded a note of caution, "I need only cast my mind back three and a half years to another TB report that was produced by the Assembly's Environment, Planning and Countryside Committee in August 2004. That report also gave the then Minister's recommendations on how to tackle TB holistically, including diseased wildlife. The tragedy is that no action was taken then on diseased wildlife, and between the end of 2004 and the end of 2007 the number of herds under TB movement restriction has more or less doubled from 1073 to 2032.

"My plea to the Minister today is that she now acts, and urgently, on the recommendations of what is a report born of cross party consensus in order to bring about the eradication of TB in cattle and in diseased wildlife."