NFU withholds ‘full support’ from ‘disappointing' TBEG report

It said it could therefore ‘not give its full support to the plan’, details of which were published on Thursday.

Meurig Raymond, NFU deputy president, commended TBEG for producing a ‘considered and comprehensive report’ on bTB in England.

But he said the NFU was ‘disappointed that the recommendations do not address all the aspects that would be required for a genuine eradication plan’.

He blamed the remit given to TBEG by Defra Secretary Hilary Benn, which he said ‘severely constrained its ability to make a firmer recommendation on dealing with the disease reservoir in the badger population’.

Nonetheless, he said: “It is refreshing and positive that TBEG has looked at the experience elsewhere to inform its policy recommendations. This has brought it to the conclusion that eradication from cattle is not achievable where there is a wildlife maintenance host. The NFU feels that this is a hugely positive conclusion.”

“The NFU will support measures which move us towards eradication of TB. Our core concern is that without action on wildlife we cannot make progress towards eradication.

“This situation cannot continue for long. The current policy measures are incomplete, and the NFU will never be able to give its full support to a plan which does not deal with all aspects of the disease.”

However, he urged Mr Benn to give ‘serious consideration’ to a report that provides a ‘good, but not complete, base for that change’.

He welcomed the ‘genuine commitment to support the affected farming families and businesses through proposed policy improvements’ and said the change to the TB testing regime should ‘reduce burdens and costs’ for farmers in hotspot areas but will ‘significantly increase’ the costs for others.

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) adopted a different tone.

BVA president Bill Reilly said: “Bearing in mind the political and time constraints that TBEG is working under, we welcome the progress the Group is making.

“In particular, we welcome the recognition that there has to be a package of controls available and that no single measure can eradicate bovine tuberculosis. The BVA and BCVA have stated clearly that a targeted badger cull may be necessary in certain circumstances and we are pleased that it has not been ruled out of a future eradication programme for England.”

BCVA president John Blackwell said: “There are a lot of positives in this report and the work of TBEG in implementing measures to support farmers dealing with bovine TB in their herds is welcomed by the BCVA.

“However, we still believe that more can be done in England and we urge the Secretary of State to reassess his criteria for introducing a badger cull.”  

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