Farmers for Action (FFA) is calling for an immediate cull of tuberculosis (TB) infected badgers in Northern Ireland with immediate effect.
“We are aware that Minister (for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) Andrew Muir may announce some new measures to control tuberculosis in cattle over the coming weeks,” William Taylor, the FFA spokesperson, said.
“FFA believes it is critically important that an effective cull of infected badgers is included within this new way forward.”
The FFA representative defined the term ‘effective cull’ as a measure that will take no more than 12 months to complete.
“The time for tuberculosis reviews is over, genuine action is required at this stage,” he added.
“The number of tuberculosis infected cattle identified on our farms continues to increase. Meanwhile, the burden all of this is placing on farming families has become extremely severe.”
FFA has written to Andrew Muir on the TB issue. The organisation points to three key steps being at the heart of an effective TB eradication campaign.
These are: the culling of all infected badgers within a 12 month period; the development of a cure for TB in cattle; and the de-listing of badgers as an endangered species.
“Badger numbers have increased significantly over recent years. The automatic link with TB-infected badgers spreading the disease can no longer be dismissed and must be dealt with,” Taylor said.
“Judging by the assessment of recent statistics, the number of TB incidents in cattle seems to rise alongside the increase of badger numbers.
“This is clearly evident from the post mortem analysis of road kill badgers,” he added.
Meanwhile, the chairman of Stormont’s Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee, Robbie Butler, believes that Andrew Muir has failed to instill great levels of confidence at a grassroots level within the farming sector.
“The challenge posed by bovine tuberculosis is a case in point,” he continued.
“Farmers want to see real action taking place, designed to tackle the problem head on. But all they have seen from the Minister is his call for a further review, the latest of many that have taken place over recent years.
“Meanwhile, those increasing numbers of farmers having to cope with the challenge of a tuberculosis outbreak are fire-fighting in all directions. Losing their animals is a big enough issue to deal with.
“But, in addition, they are having to cope with the associated financial and stress-related issues that are directly impacting on their state of mental health,” Butler finished.
