NFU Cymru has reiterated the need for a genuine collaborative approach between industry and government to tackle bovine TB in Wales.

The call comes in the wake of the latest written statement on Wales TB Eradication Programme issued by the Minister for Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths MS on Monday.

NFU Cymru has welcomed the willingness the Minister has shown to work with industry to tackle bovine TB, but stressed that eradication will only be achieved if the disease is tackled across all its vectors.

In her stayement Ms Griffiths pointed out the progress in the latest published bovine TB statistics for Wales to March 2022:

• New TB incidents have decreased from 1,185 in 2009 to 634 in the 12 months to March 2022, a 46.5%

• Animals slaughtered for TB control has decreased from 11,655 in 2009 to 10,117 in the 12 months to March 2022, a 13.2%

• On 31 March 2022, there were 988 herds under restrictions, compared to the peak of 2,268 herds under restriction on 31 March 2009, representing a 56.4%

• Herd prevalence has decreased from the peak in April 2009 at 7.8% to 5.4% in March 2022, a 30.9%

She also announced the phasing out of the badger trap and test work in long-term TB breakdown herds in order to focus resources on badger vaccination.

“In line with our Programme for Government commitment to forbid the culling of badgers, I announced the expansion of the Badger Vaccination Grant (BVG) Scheme and the provision of additional funding,” she said.

“I am pleased to report an overwhelming level of interest in this scheme and all BVG applications received have been approved, covering 42 farms across a total area of just over 46km2 across Wales. This important work is taking place alongside our existing badger vaccination project on Gower.

Chairman of the NFU Cymru TB Focus Group, Roger Lewis said: “Bovine TB continues to be a source of pain and misery for the Welsh cattle industry. The disease is one of the main threats to the Welsh agricultural industry’s future viability.

“Between the end of March 2021 and 2022, over 10,000 animals were slaughtered in Wales as result of bovine TB and we must remember that behind this statistic, there are hundreds of farming families dealing with the emotional and financial trauma of bovine TB on their farm.

While responding positively to many of the strands of the eradication programme, he added: “NFU Cymru members remain deeply frustrated that the ability to effectively tackle this disease has, for so many years, been hampered by the fact that Welsh Government policy measures see politics, all too often, override the science.

“Bovine TB is a complex disease that requires a comprehensive approach to eradication and we believe that it should be tackled wherever it exists – whether that be in cattle or the wildlife.”