A dairy farmer is calling for an urgent review into the Welsh government's bovine TB policy amid fears it is 'destroying' livestock farming.
Chris Mossman, from Ceredigion, started the petition calling for an end to the 'enhanced measures' policy as it is 'ruining' farming businesses.
Wales introduced enhanced measures in each bTB area tailored to protect the low bTB area from disease, and reduce the level of disease in the intermediate and high areas.
But Mr Mossman said the measures are applied for any farm that has been under restriction for 18 months.
He said tests are carried out under severe interpretation and all reactors and IRS are removed for slaughter.
The dairy farmer added that the measures have had a 'crippling effect' on his herd: “In January 2016 we went down with TB after 30 years of being TB free,” Mr Mossman wrote on his online petition.
“We did not think it would last and we certainly did not foresee the catastrophic effect that this would have on our business or on our lives.
“Despite having a 'closed' herd, instead of disappearing the disease spread to a number of surrounding farms and the problem became more widespread.
“In October 2017, the Welsh government saw fit to introduce 'enhanced measures' for any farm that had been under restriction for 18 months and the crippling effect that this has had on ours and many other herds is indescribable.”
Mr Mossman has lost 309 cows to date, 89 percent of these since enhanced measures were introduced.
He is calling for other livestock farmers in Wales to understand that they too could be affected, and to understand what could happen as a result.
“We have taken every action to comply with requirements from the Welsh government but the problem has continued to worsen.
“We are asking the Welsh government to reconsider its policy and to end the unnecessary slaughter of animals.
“The situation is currently untenable and will see the destruction of many farms and farmers,” he said.
