TB continues to be challenge for next decade

TB continues to be challenge for next decade

Source: Federated Farmers

Funding for TB control is less than it has been in the past but Federated Farmers is confident the new programme will continue to make progress with a more efficient spend of the money.

Federated Farmers OSPRI (TB Free NZ) spokesman Anders Crofoot said: "The amended TB Plan is a shift in approach from containing the disease to active eradication in livestock and wildlife. To date we’ve been successful at removing TB from large areas of New Zealand. This means with improved operational efficiencies and targeted work, enabled by advances in modelling we should see new TB Plan targets achieved.

The programme carried out by OSPRI will aim to eradicate bovine TB from cattle and deer by 2026, and from TB-infected wildlife in New Zealand by 2055.

In addition to Government, the beef, dairy, and deer sectors also contribute substantial funding to the National Bovine Tuberculosis Pest Management Plan.

Federated Farmers President Dr William Rolleston said: "We need to keep a watching brief and be prepared to increase spending if progress isn’t being achieved.

"We also should be exploring new technologies to help us in pest and TB control and eradication."

Mr Crofoot emphasised: "The TB control programme is vital to the ability of our beef, dairy and deer industries to compete in global markets."

He also added on a side note: "Once eradication has been achieved OSPRI will have no mandate to continue with possum control. Continued possum control may be desirable from a biodiversity perspective but this will need a different funding mechanism."

ENDS

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