The Department of Agriculture will let farmers push their TB test back by a maximum of three months with the introduction of tighter TB movement rules.

From February, all cattle older than 36 months will need to be within six months of a test if they are being moved to a different herd or else the buyer will must test the animal within 30 days of its movement on to the new farm.

To help farmers comply with the new rules, the Department suggested it will allow farmers once-off flexibility around TB testing dates and the costs associated with testing animals over 36 months of age.

The move could offer a reprieve to some farmers who had been facing two tests in the same year to get cull cows or stock bulls sold more than six months after they would usually TB test.

Senior superintending veterinary inspector in the Department Damien Barrett confirmed the flexibility in response to a question posed by TD Michael Fitzmaurice at a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on agriculture last week.

“In relation to moving the test forwards or backwards, if a farmer wishes to, there are no limits as to bringing the test forward,” Barrett said.

“We’re going to allow people [flexibility], to give them a dispensation on a once-off basis to push it back by three months.”

Organics letters

The Oireachtas committee also heard that letters will be issued to applicants of the 2023 Organic Farming Scheme in early spring to let them know if their applications have been successful.

“In the past, they wouldn’t have received any notification until later on in the year but we will tell them early in the spring because they have to change their practice,” head of the Department’s organic division Jack Nolan said.

Nolan claimed that applications had exceeded 2,000 farmers and it was expected that applications would again breach four figures over the coming years.

“The scheme will be opened again as planned at the end of next year and it will open every year.

“We are definitely going to go up by a thousand or more every year for the next couple of years,” the organics official said.

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