Community welcomes new bovine TB advisory initiative

With the escalation of bovine tuberculosis in the Westcountry, the livestock community in the region has welcomed the establishment of the South West TB Farm Advisory Service, which went into action this week.

The initiative, run by a number of farming organisations and hosted by the NFU, has a lead adviser and three trained and practical advisers, who will visit farmers and provide an individual tailor-made service of practical help. They are able to produce written guidance, a user-friendly website, documents and updated buletins on latest developments.

The aim is to ensure a high level of independent and confidential farmer-friendly support, to allow cattle farmers to continue trading.

With bovine TB responsible for the deaths of 38,000 cattle last year – and with the industry holding its breath over a campaign to take out diseased badgers – the new service is seen as an essential tool in the fight against the steady advance of the disease.

This is an industry-wide venture, with full support and backing from the Tenant Farmers' Association, the National Beef Association, the Country Land and Business Association, Dairy Co and the English Beef & Lamb Executive, set up, hosted and bank-rolled by the NFU, which then claims the funds back from the Rural Development Programme.

Up to now, no single organisation has had the resources to tackle the demands for independent bovine TB advice.

NFU regional director Mel Hall explained: "We had to look at other ways we could help, and not just our members but, but with funding from farmers' modulation money, the wider industry, too."

It was clearly realised, thanks to several reports, that there was a need for more support for farmers out in the field, with regard to all aspects of bovine TB, she stressed. "That gave us a basis to put together a funding application on behalf of the industry."

Mrs Hall added: "Even if we started culling badgers tomorrow, the impact of the disease would still be felt for years to come — and we need to find solutions so that farmers can trade and retain value, protecting themselves as effectively as possible."

The team has an eight-point programme to alleviate the problems for farmers whose cattle go down with TB or are TB test reactors.

These are:

Myth busting – clarifying confusion over testing and restrictions.

Business sustainability – identifying opportunities for trading and movement of stock.

Environmental and animal-health implications – for example the implications of carrying more stock on the holding.

Emotional issues – helping the farmer and his family cope with the stress involved.

Disease risk management – assessing cattle-to-cattle and badger-to-cattle risks.

Liaison – needed between the service and other official bodies.

Funding – identifying opportunities.

Facilitating – finding other organisations that could help.

Mrs Hall added: "History dictates that official bodies such as Defra are not always trusted, so we have made sure we have recruited well-qualified and experienced advisers, who can speak farmers' language."

The service team is being led by 56-year-old Anthony Pope, who farms near Tavistock. The other advisers are Adrian Chandler, Sophie Jones and Ian Wagstaff, and the team administrator is Elizabeth Shearman.