Beef Plan Movement representatives were not invited to the recent meeting of the tuberculosis (TB) eradication forum, chaired by Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine Martin Heydon.
Beef Plan Movement chairperson, Eamon Corley, has expressed deep annoyance at this state-of-affairs
Corley said: “I would like to thank everyone who contributed with their feedback to Beef Plan, regarding TB.
“We compiled a submission based on the views that were expressed to us. It was submitted to the minister, Martin Heydon, ahead of the TB Forum meeting.“
Beef Plan has 2,300 farmer members and is committed to the retention of a viable suckler sector in Ireland.
Corley continued: “While we are grateful that the minister has accepted our submission, we are frustrated and find it very unsatisfactory that the people who are making decisions on TB eradication have not invited our representatives to the forum.”
According to the Beef Plan chairperson, there were stakeholders at the forum representing badgers, deer, vets, and factories, yet he said an organisation specifically representing beef and suckler farmers was excluded.
“Whatever decisions that were taken will affect our beef and suckler farmers and those who make these decisions will not make make any progress in reducing TB levels in cattle by excluding key stakeholders.
“They should realise after 70 years of failure that measures to reduce TB will continue to fail without buy-in from farmers.
“They should also realise that they won’t get buy in by excluding them: they are also forgetting who foots the bill,” Corley said.
Beef Plan’s TB submission
Beef Plan’s proposed TB eradication submission is based on three guiding principles – that an evidence-based strategy should be developed; that this strategy should be scientifically supported; and that the strategy should also prioritise the protection of farms and public health over the profits of the industry.
The organisation’s submission references a number of key actions that must be taken by all relevant stakeholders.
These include the need for further clear and unambiguous research, as well as a thorough debate on the potential role of TB vaccines must take place.
In addition, the proposed restriction on the sale of fat cows to factories only will be strongly opposed by the organisation.
In regard to the control of TB in wildlife, Beef Plan contends that progress on the reduction of TB in cattle will never be successful without a more effective approach than the current one.
The organisation also proposes that no further restrictions on cattle and farms should be forced on farmers until a radical overhaul in the control of TB within wildlife populations is achieved.
Beef Plan is also calling for the issue of TB resistance within cattle populations to be carried out as a matter of priority.
