Scottish farmers who fail to meet the statutory testing obligations allowing disease to spread undetected within livestock herds face losing compensation payments under new proposals.
The Scottish government has launched a consultation outlining proposals to introduce changes to compensation arrangements in Scotland and update the Tuberculosis (Scotland) Order 2007 on other disease control measures.
In 2009, Scotland achieved Officially Tuberculosis Free (OTF) status, which is a unique position within the UK and one that is seen as highly valued by the Scottish cattle industry.
The government has said it is therefore "committed" to a programme of actions in order to maintain the current low levels of TB and to safeguard the OTF status.
The consultation reads: “Ensuring compliance with testing requirements is essential for the success of our TB surveillance programme and it again seems fair and reasonable that where a keeper has failed to meet the statutory testing obligations allowing disease to spread undetected within the herd, they should not then be able to recover the full market value for any of these animals that are subsequently disclosed as reactors.
“We intend therefore to amend the provisions of the Tuberculosis (Scotland) Order 2007 to provide Ministers with the powers needed to either reduce or withhold compensation completely for those keepers who have broken the rules in this way.
“It is anticipated that this will be on a sliding scale, i.e. the longer the delay in testing, the bigger the reduction in compensation.
“An appeals mechanism to allow the decision to be reviewed where the keeper feels there are valid reasons for doing do so will also be introduced.
Responding to the announcement, British Veterinary Association (BVA) Scottish Branch President Melissa Donald said: “While Scotland currently enjoys Official Tuberculosis Free status it is vital that Government continue to review their TB controls and compensation system to ensure compliance and encourage best practice.
“BVA will consider the proposals in detail together with colleagues in the British Cattle Veterinary Association and other relevant specialist divisions, and provide a full response.”
