‘A fast one pulled’ on Minister’s TB diktat

AGRICULTURE Minister, Simon Coveney, has been accused of using ‘a sledgehammer to crack a nut’ with the introduction of new regulations in relation to the bovine TB eradication scheme that could have disastrous implications for West of Ireland farmers.

Co. Galway IFA Livestock Committee Chairman, Michael Flynn, told the Farming Tribune that Minister Coveney had completely ignored a submission by IFA in relation to the TB scheme and seemed ‘hell bent’ on imposing the maximum financial penalty on farmers by ‘pulling a fast one’ with his new regulations.

“This whole business was handled very badly by the Minister. There’s been no consultation whatsoever with farmers – it’s just a diktat that being announced and it really has serious implications for dairy and beef/suckler farmers,” said Michael Flynn.

He outlined three main points of the Ministerial Regulation signed into law in the middle of February by Minister Coveney as follows:

Farmers who have completed two clear tests after having a reactor will now only have a 90 day window to sell cattle before having another test.

The Dept. are now stating that a farmer ‘may carry the cost’ of having second or more tests in the one year. The current agreement is that the farmer only pays for one test in any year.

A ceiling of €2,800 has been placed on the compensation payable for an animal (€3,500 max. for bulls) with a valuer now being accompanied by a Dept. of Agriculture inspector.

Michael Flynn said that they were also very concerned at consideration being given by the Dept. to a 10 month lock-up period for herds after the completion of two clear tests.

“We met with Government TDs in Galway on Monday and to be honest about it they didn’t seem to be aware of what had happened. This whole business was done very stealthily but the TDs have undertaken to take up the issue with the Minister as a matter of urgency,” said Michael Flynn.

IFA Animal Health Chairman, Bert Stewart, said that Minister Coveney and his officials continued to ignore the difficulties imposed on farmers in the current TB eradication programme.

He said that despite IFA putting a detailed submission to the Minister in September last year identifying necessary changes, the Minister’s officials were intent on increasing the cost burden for farmers and have proposed further tightening of controls with no attempt to take on board the issues raised by IFA.

“Understandably, some issues raised are requirements of EU regulations and the Minister must address these in the appropriate forum in order to find a resolution. Included in this category is the prohibition on purchasing animals into a restricted holding and the restriction of herds where lesions are found at slaughter.

“Accepting that achieving a resolution to these issues may take time, the IFA chairman said the Minister must ensure in the intervening period that his officials minimise the impact on farmers and, where necessary, provide supports,” said Bert Steward.

He also called on the Minister and his officials to engage in a meaningful way to reduce the cost and bureaucratic burden that continued to be imposed on farmers in the TB eradication programme.

Mr. Stewart said while the incidence of the disease continued to decline nationally, this was of little consolation to the thousands of farmers who continued to experience disease breakdowns every year.