Ireland: Minister must guarantee farmers won’t pay for additional TB tests

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has been urged to guarantee that farmers will not be required to finance additional bovine tuberculosis (TB) testing obligations. “Explicit guarantees” that farmers will not be burdened with additional costs for increased TB testing or control must be provided, independent TD for Laois-Offaly Carol Nolan has said. Deputy Nolan met with concerned farmers who fear that proposals are being put in place to ensure they will bear the cost of all TB testing above and beyond the single annual test. “The farmers I am speaking to are well aware that the issue of additional payments for TB testing was deferred by The Financial Working Group of the Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum until February 2023,” the deputy said. However, they are concerned that further payments will be demanded from them despite the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) and the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) opposing any such move, she added. ...