The minister said a “coherent” and “robust” animal health strategy has the “capability to deliver very significant savings per year as has been evidenced in the case of the recent progress being made on the BVD eradication programme”.

Since the BVD eradication programme was introduced in January 2013, the number of PIs (persistently infected animals) has decreased considerably. By 2015, the number of PIs had more than halved, with just 6,267 calves testing positive for BVD.

Creed noted the livestock sector represented almost 90% of Ireland’s gross agricultural output, as well as forming the critical element of the €10.8bn in agri-food exports in 2015 and sustaining some 170,000 jobs in the agri-food sector.

The new strategy will be developed in tandem with the sustainability objectives already set out in Food Wise 2025

“It is, therefore, opportune to work towards the creation of a national strategy framework that will guide the development and implementation of policies and programmes towards making a lasting and continuous improvement in the health and welfare of farmed animals in Ireland,” he said.

“The new strategy will be developed in tandem with the sustainability objectives already set out in Food Wise 2025.”

The minister stressed that prevention of disease remains key to limiting significant financial losses to farmers, the broader agri-food industry and the country.

Reaction

Reacting to the announcement of the consultation process, IFA animal health committee chair Bert Stewart said the establishment of a National Farmed Animal Health Strategy for Ireland is crucial for farmers to address the shortcomings of the current approach, which has left farmers exposed to unnecessary costs and bureaucracy in disease control and eradication.

“While significant progress has been made in eradicating BVD from the national herd, huge issues have been identified as a result of the lack of a co-ordinated approach with the Department of Agriculture in implementing the programme.”

The TB eradication programme is a continual cause of huge financial hardship on farms

The IFA chair said the lessons learned from the mistakes in the BVD programme “must be taken on board in a national co-ordinated strategy for all animal health issues”.

Welcoming the minister’s recognition of the broader benefits of improved animal health for the agri-sector and the economy in general, Stewart said the approach to date on most animal health issues has taken “the easy option” of imposing the burden of costs on to farmers while ignoring the broader benefits that accrue.

“The current BVD programme is a typical example, currently costing farmers over €7m annually with only minimal support provided by the Department of Agriculture, with no other stakeholders contributing financially.”

The chair said similar issues arise in the TB Eradication programme, which is “a continual cause of huge financial hardship on farms either directly through animal loss or indirectly through the imposition of restrictions that prevent farmers from carrying out their normal farm management practises”.

He added that the IFA “will engage constructively” with the Minister for Agriculture and his officials in developing “a co-ordinated animal health strategy for farmed animals in Ireland” that clearly recognises the broader benefits of improved animal health for the agri-sector and the economy in general by providing equitable and fair distribution models for costs among all stakeholders.

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