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The ICSA animal health and welfare chair Hugh Farrell has warned that doubling the number of herd TB tests on farms “has the potential to bring down a government”.
Farrell was reacting to news broken by the Irish Farmers Journal this week that Brussels has drawn up proposals to initiate twice annual TB tests on farms due to a lack of progress in battling the disease.
Proposals
“This proposal coming from Europe will be voted upon by the Parliament next month,” Farrell said.
“It is critical that Irish politicians and MEPs mount a vigorous campaign to ensure this ludicrous suggestion never sees the light of day.
“However, I am very annoyed that this plan has not been communicated to us by the Department. It is vital that the Minister immediately outlines what he has done to ensure that Europe understands that this proposal is unworkable and utterly over the top.”
He continued by pointing out that TB testing was a stressful time for farmers and animals and that increasing the number of tests on farmers with low risk herds was “unconscionable”.
I am very annoyed that this plan has not been communicated to us
The issue of paying for the test was also raised by Farrell, but he stressed that before any mention of whether farmers or government would pay for a test that his organisation would be rejecting any proposal to double the number of tests immediately.
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