The Government has today (18 December) confirmed that
farmers who have managed to stay clear of bovine TB for at
least six years will be able to revert to annual, rather
than six-monthly, testing.
This will reduce the testing burden on these lower-risk
farms and incentivise other farms to take steps, to reduce
their TB risks. The change will come into effect in May
2019 and will apply to farmers in parts of the bovine TB
Edge Area.
The six-monthly testing also applies to farmers who have
achieved Cattle Health Certification Standards (CHeCS) TB
accreditation of their herds.
Farming Minister, Minister Eustice, said:
Bovine TB remains the greatest animal health threat to
the UK, causing devastation and distress for hard-working
farmers and rural communities.
By allowing these lower risk herds to revert to annual
testing we want to encourage other farmers to take steps
to reduce the risks of bovine TB.
From stringent biosecurity to the application of
risk-based trading principles, farmers need to be doing
everything they can to stop this disease spreading. As a
Government we will also continue to robustly apply a
range of interventions, including cattle movement
controls, increased and better TB testing and licensed
badger control in certain areas.
Defra and the Welsh Government have also today published
a joint reportwith
industry setting out recent progress and next steps on
improving on-farm biosecurity – a key focus of the recent
report by Sir Charles Godfray on the Government’s bTB
strategy.
This report sets out a new programme of action designed to
increase farmers’ resilience to bovine TB, including a
£25,000 investment to improve the TB Hub website –
the central hub for information on the disease.
