The National Farmers’ Union of Wales (NFU Cymru) and the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) have both welcomed the appointment of a new Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) Eradication Programme Board in Wales.
The news was confirmed yesterday (Monday, August 12) by Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, who confirmed that the board would be chaired by a farmer.
The board will oversee and provide guidance to Welsh government on its TB eradication programme.
Board members will be confirmed in due course, but Irranca-Davies said he intended for the board to largely be made up of farmers from different parts of Wales and people from farming backgrounds.
NFU Cymru president Aled Jones said: “It is welcome news that the Cabinet Secretary has appointed the Bovine TB Programme Board and following the appointment of the Bovine TB Technical Advisory Group (TAG) earlier in the year, the programme board is the final important piece in the governance structure for Welsh government’s TB policy.
“It is positive to see strong farmer and veterinary representation around the table, as it is farming families and their own private farm vets who are at the front line of dealing with this dreadful disease so their views on future TB policy are vital.
“The programme board has incredibly important work to do in driving forward a route to eradication of this terrible disease, something the future generations of cattle farmers in Wales depend on.”
In the period from April 2023 to March 2024, Jones said over 11,000 cattle were slaughtered because of bovine TB in Wales.
He said this is “a sobering statistic” that cannot be allowed to continue.
“In this respect NFU Cymru continue to call for a comprehensive disease eradication strategy that tackles this disease wherever it exists.
“Three years ago, the NFU Cymru TB Focus Group was formed to help inform our views on TB policy and to identify where improvements could be made to policy without risking disease control.
“We stand ready to use our seat on the programme board to take forward the views of our membership to the board, whether those views be from farmers where TB is present on the farm or is threatening at the door.”
FUW
FUW deputy president and dairy farmer, Dai Miles said: “We welcome the news that the Programme Board has been established following the formation of the Technical Advisory Group earlier this year and that letters of appointment have been sent.
“With strong representation from farmers and industry bodies, including the FUW, the group will work closely with the Technical Advisory Group and provide strategic advice to Huw Irranca-Davies on the eradication of bovine TB in Wales.”
While the union welcomes the announement, Miles said cattle keepers continue to be “shackled” by the ongoing disease.
“In 2022, FUW analysis estimated that the total cost of bovine TB pre-movement testing borne by cattle keepers in Wales was more than £2.3 million. A staggering 11,197 animals were slaughtered in the 12 months to March 2024,” he said.
“As we continue to see a lack of clarity and leadership in dealing with this disease in wildlife, evidence from the first 52 badger cull areas in England shows that rates of bovine TB breakdowns in cattle are down by 56% on average after four years of culling.
“Farmers, as ambassadors of the countryside, also want to see healthy and prosperous wildlife populations here in Wales.”
Miles said farming families hit by bovine TB on their farms are emotionally traumatised by the disease.
“Many of our members have spoken out publicly in recent months to raise awareness of the daunting effects this disease has had on their families, their businesses and their livestock.
“As a union, we are keen to play our part and work closely with both the Eradication Programme Board and the Technical Advisory Group in reviewing important matters relevant to bovine TB eradication.
“These include areas such as the appropriateness of current testing regimes and methods in which disease transmission by wildlife could be addressed.”
