The Government’s newly formed Bovine TB Partnership held its
inaugural meeting today (11 February), attended by Biosecurity
Minister Lord Gardiner.
As part of the Government’s response to Professor Sir Charles
Godfray’s review of the Government’s
bTB Strategy, the Government has worked with industry and
stakeholders to co-design the new bTB Partnership to encourage
shared ownership, coordination and decision-making surrounding
England’s 25 year bTB eradication strategy.
The group will be a driving force helping to progress the
Government’s aim of eradicating the disease and absorbs the
advisory function formerly performed by the bTB Eradication
Advisory Group for England (TBEAG).
The Partnership is made up of members who have extensive
experience and expertise in the farming industry, veterinary
science, conservation and academia.
Biosecurity Minister Lord Gardiner said:
The wealth of experience and expertise brought to the table by
this new Partnership will be invaluable in helping to achieve
the Government’s ambition to eradicate bTB from this country by
2038.
We have made extensive progress in tackling this disease to
date and I look forward to working closely with the group to
build on this progress, ensuring that this disease is
eradicated as quickly and effectively as possible.
Bovine TB Partnership Chair and experienced Norfolk farmer John
Cross said:
We have 17 years of the 25 year TB Strategy left, the timeline
is ambitious as it should be, and I am really anticipating that
the high calibre of this new Partnership will give TB
eradication a real boost.
We have a large, broadly based group here that represents an
amazing collective intellect to pitch against this disease,
with a positive forward looking , science based approach. If we
all work in true partnership this pathogen will be defeated.
The Partnership will:
- Contribute to setting strategic direction of the bTB disease
eradication programme, helping to identify priorities, and
address specific opportunities, risks and issues, as an integral
part of the bTB Programme’s governance.
- Help set standards, monitor progress, and identify where new
approaches might be needed.
- Co-design potential new policies and communications.
- Help to identify new evidence sources/requirements and ideas
and captures wider views to inform discussion as needed.
- Engage widely to advocate agreed bTB policy to a range of
stakeholders.
- Encourage formation of and work closely with local groups and
create opportunities for stakeholders/local groups to work
together.
- Engage with developments in wider domestic agriculture
policy, helping to build understanding of the potential
implications for future disease control and helping to influence
the design of future policy to benefit the goals of the bTB
Strategy.
- Provide expert advice to government on policy matters and
implementation.
A work plan will be devised by the Partnership to establish the
priorities for the coming year.
The full terms of reference and members of the Partnership can be
found here.
The Government is currently consulting on the next phase of its
strategy to eradicate bTB in England by 2038. This follows the
Government’s response to the Godfray Review which set out plans
to phase out intensive culling in the next few years, and
outlined the need to continue tackling infection in both cattle
and wildlife. It also set out priorities that include a
transition to badger vaccination, accelerating work to develop a
deployable cattle vaccination and improving diagnostic testing.
The consultation can be accessed here.
