Ireland Granted Brucellosis Free Status

IFA Deputy President Derek Deane said the decision by the EU Commission to grant Ireland Brucellosis-free status was welcome, but it was disappointing that the Minister for Agriculture has not returned the full €15m in cost reductions allowable to farmers. Mr Deane said, “the Minister’s announcement represents a missed opportunity to deliver significant savings to farmers, who have played a pivotal role in securing Brucellosis-free status. Farmers will feel let down by the Minister’s failure to reward the sustained efforts of the farming community in achieving this milestone. IFA has identified control relaxation that will bring about major cost reduction for farmers, while at the same time protecting the national herd. These have been presented to the Minister and his senior officials as far back as October, 2008.” Mr Deane said there is no reason why the Minister cannot extend the 60-day pre-movement test to older animals and significantly reduce the level of annual blood testing. He said the Minister must revisit this between now and the implementation of changes. Derek Deane said the Minister can extend the 60 days pre-movement test requirement to only heifers over 24 months and all cows/in-calf heifers. This would represent savings of €5m for farmers, with 350,000 animals in this age bracket sold annually either farm to farm or through marts. Extending the annual herd test requirement to 24 months will represent savings of €2.5m to farmers, but in the current climate, maintaining the annual round test is an unnecessary cost. The milk ring test and cull cow monitoring at factories, combined with minimal blood testing, would provide adequate national monitoring, which would return savings of €7.5m to farmers.