Farrell hits out at Moore comments

IFA Animal Health Chairman Pat Farrell has hit out at claims that cattle from Irish farms that meet EU criteria for TB are not safe to trade.

Mr Farrell was responsing to Professor Simon Moore and said that Irish farmers put in a lot of money to meet very strict criteria, based on tests approved by the OIE, to access export markets.

Mr Farrell feels that to question the effectiveness of these controls could be very damaging to Irish farmers.

“The responsibility rests with the Department of Agriculture to ensure all sources of the disease are removed from and surrounding TB breakdown farms during the restriction period, allowing these farms return to unhindered market access when derestricted,” he said.

He also claimed that ongoing risks in herds are issues outside the control of farmers and include wildlife and residual infection.

He added that the IFA has put detailed proposals to the Department of Agriculture, which he feels would reduce these risks and would allow animals from these herds trade as normal following de-restriction.

He added that farmers would embrace practical, scientifically proven controls that would help eradicate TB, provided there is a full compensation package to offset the enormous impact of the disease.