The Department of Agriculture has made changes to the TB Eradication Programme, tightening up control of inconclusive result cattle, without consulting farmers and without addressing the shortcomings in compensation, according to the IFA.

The Department is now removing animals that were previously inconclusive in TB breakdowns, said IFA animal health chair Pat Farrell. Also, where four or more animals test inconclusive, they are deemed to be reactors and removed.

“These are significant changes to the programme that will impact severely on farmers,” he said. “The decision to now remove animals that were previously inconclusive and have since had several clear tests does not rest well with farmers. While they may be eligible for existing compensation schemes, the levels of support available are only in the region of 50% of the actual loss imposed by the removal of some of these animals,” said Farrell.

These are significant changes to the programme that will impact severely on farmers

“The Department has shown yet again that they have no difficulty in increasing the cost burden on farmers, while refusing to address the enormous shortcomings in the compensation schemes.”

The IFA chair described the latest move by the Department as particularly disappointing given the enormous efforts made by farmers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the TB programme continued. “Farmers have enough of the Department of Agriculture’s continual refusal to address the critical issues in the TB programme. The new Minister for Agriculture will have a job to maintain farmer support for the programme if the current approach continues,” warned Farrell.