Agriculture Committee Continue Review of Bovine TB with Visit to England

The Assembly Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development will continue its Review into Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) by travelling to England to visit a range of important experts on this issue.  The Committee’s itinerary will focus on specific aspects of Bovine TB control that are not practised in Northern Ireland: namely the proposed English badger cull and badger vaccination.

On Wednesday 20 June, the Committee will meet with the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA), the National Farmer Union, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Chair of the Assembly Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, Paul Frew MLA said: “This visit is an ideal opportunity for us to speak to stakeholders who are already trialling many initiatives and ideas in order to combat Bovine TB.  As part of our Committee Review into Bovine TB, launched in March 2012, we have already heard from many experts on the devastating impact this disease has on the agriculture and rural communities.” 

“The visit will give us further insight into how vaccination programmes work, from their costs and benefit, to their application and access.  We will also receive briefings about the proposed industry lead badger cull in England and the UK policy position.  Our findings from the visit will be debated by the Assembly in due course and should assist the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development and her Department in its consideration of how to eradicate the disease.”

ENDS