A public consultation on the compensation rates made available for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) reactor cattle is about to be launched in Northern Ireland.
This was one of the issues highlighted by Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) president, David Brown, during his presentation to the presidential area meeting in Comber, Co. Down this week (Monday, January 8).
Brown said: “The push for the public consultation has come from the secretary of state. This seems to be another lever that is being used to get a working executive re-established at Stormont.
“It seems that the consultation will not go ahead if Northern Ireland’s political institutions are not kick started.”
If the consultation goes ahead, it will be coordinated by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
A number of farmers in attendance at the meeting expressed deep anger at this proposed development.
John Carson, a dairy farmer from the Downpatrick area, said: “I am hearing that DAERA will be seeking cuts in cattle values of up to 25%. This is absolutely intolerable.”
bTB
David Brown confirmed that the UFU will never agree to reductions in bTB compensation values, adding:
“In reality, these are not compensation payments. Farmers have no control in this matter. The Department of Agriculture is legally mandated to remove bTB reactor animals off farms,” Brown said.
“The UFU will also oppose any attempts to introduce testing charges, where bTB is concerned.”
The UFU president also reported to the meeting that DAERA has no intention of appealing the result of a recent judicial review, which stymied attempts to introduce a badger cull as part of new bTB control measures.
“DAERA now intends to push for the introduction of primary legislation, where future bTB control measures are concerned,” he explained.
“However, this will require the establishment of a working Executive at Stormont,” he said.
Under the previously proposed bTB controlled measures, the UFU had agreed that a farmer levy would be collected to pay for the wildlife control elements contained within the plan.
According to Brown, some of these monies had already been collected.
“All levy-related activity has now ceased. Some of the monies collected were spent on the initial training of staff that would have been involved in the roll-out of the envisaged bTB policy changes, previously agreed with DAERA.
“However, in the light of the judicial review outcome, this work has been halted. All the levy monies collected can be fully accounted for by Animal Health and Welfare Northern Ireland.
“In addition, the monies not spent have been placed in a bespoke bank account.”
