The issue attracting most attention has been the efforts to keep Bluetongue from entering Northern Ireland or RoI. The UFU continues to advise against the import of any susceptible livestock, as the main risk of a Bluetongue outbreak occurring on the island remains from someone importing an infected animal.
It has been estimated that the direct economic impact of a Bluetongue outbreak in Northern Ireland could be £25m annually; with additional indirect impacts, such as exclusion of product from important overseas markets which require Bluetongue freedom.
Joint UFU and IFA delegations have met with the Agriculture Ministers in NI and RoI to lobby for a strong all-island policy regarding the import of animals from restricted areas of the EU. It is hoped that the EU Commission will grant speedy derogations to both jurisdictions to apply tighter controls on the import, from restricted areas, of (unvaccinated or naturally immunised) cattle and sheep over 90 days of age. This option is possible following the latest SCoFCAH Committee meeting.
Two other important matters being dealt with are the responsibility and cost sharing initiative, and the control and eradication of Bovine TB.
Responsibility and cost sharing in animal health has reached a crunch point with Government Departments across the UK now spelling out clearly the substantial savings that have to be made in animal health budgets over the next three years in the Comprehensive Spending Review. In return for more cost sharing with industry, in areas such as BSE testing and TSE surveillance, UK Agriculture Departments are offering industry more of a say in how animal health policy is delivered. This is a very difficult trade off for industry and the UFU has continued to say to DARD and Defra that without a clear demonstration of this new 'partnership' approach to decision making then farmers will not be prepared to consider taking on any further share of the costs.
The tackling of TB in the wildlife reservoir has been one such 'red-line' issue constantly raised by farmers. The UFU has encouraged DARD to follow the positive announcement by the Welsh Assembly Government that it is to commit to a comprehensive TB control strategy over the next 3 years involving the removal of badgers from certain TB hot spot areas in Wales.
UFU has also been engaging with other industry interests and DARD regarding the potential adoption of Electronic Identification (EID) and Electronic Data Transfer (EDT) in the cattle industry. In preparation for the withdrawal of DARD staff from data capture activities at meat plants and markets a detailed business case and project plan is being prepared for the possible roll out of EID across the Province.
All of the cattle industry stakeholders have endorsed the taking forward of this important project and it is hoped that some financial support from NI Government will be forthcoming.
The National Fallen Stock Company will cease to receive Government subsidy from November 2008 and careful consideration will have to be given to future ownership, structure and operation of the UK-wide collection and disposal scheme.
Bovine Brucellosis remains an issue with annual herd incidence having crept up by more than 65% in the last 12 months. Eradication of Brucellosis should be a priority under the current all-island animal health and welfare strategy consultation.
UFU will be urging DARD to look closely at the policies adopted in RoI in recent years, where Brucellosis has been all but eradicated.
The UFU Animal Health and Welfare Policy Committee will continue to play an active role throughout 2008 in representing farmers' interests on these important matters.