Over the past four years, farmers have taken ownership and invested heavily in BVD eradication. Without doubt, it has been successful in reducing the prevalence of the disease and associated issues. However, if we are to eradicate the disease and reduce the ongoing burden of costs, steps need to be taken to prevent the small minority of farmers that are retaining PI animals on farm from holding the majority to ransom. This is beyond the remit of what started as a voluntary scheme. Farmers have done the heavy lifting and it is now up to the Department as a partner to use its legislative powers to push the eradication scheme over the line.