Alarming new rules to TB Testing.

ICSA Connaught Ulster vice president John Barron has expressed alarm at proposed changes to the TB regime arising from the need to facilitate the slaughter of cattle that are over 12 months since their last TB test. "The new proposals to permit the slaughter of animals that are between 12-18 months since their last TB test is something we have been looking for. However, at a meeting with department officials, it has emerged that the proposed change is to be accompanied by a whole raft of new bureaucracy." "This includes complex assessments which categorise herds into those with less than 20% animals out of test and more than 20% animals out of test. There are severe penalties for any animal inadvertently sent for slaughter over 18 months since its last test. To cap it all, there are proposals that will result in very serious consequences for herds that neighbour suspect animals. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that the apparent concession from the department is disingenuous and in practice will be unworkable." Mr Barron continued "Unfortunately, what is a common sense proposal is now being drowned in a sea of complicated rules. Farmers cannot be expected to readily comply with this. Instead of making the TB regime more workable, the department is risking further farmer frustration with the whole process." Mr Barron was also critical of the proposal to use department staff to conduct on farm valuations of reactors. "The whole point of having an independent valuation system was so that farmers would have confidence in the process. Department officials are not qualified to value animals and efforts to train them will end up costing more than leaving the job to independent valuers who know what they are doing. If the department wants to save costs, they need to cut down on the number of unnecessary visits to farmers in the case of limited outbreaks of TB." ICSA president Malcolm Thompson described the new proposals as a disingenuous exercise in hoodwinking. "If the Minister believes that we would not see through this bureaucratic nightmare then he has underestimated us. The object of the exercise should have been to achieve a simplification of rules – this proposal is a civil servants dream," concluded Mr Thompson.