EU test moves pose a threat
THE EU’s proposed new 30-day pre-movement testing regime could have major negative implications for cattle farmers and marts in the West of Ireland, Galway IFA have warned this week.
Galway IFA Animal Health Committee representative, Stephen Canavan, told the Farming Tribune that the changes as proposed in the EU Animal Health Delegation Act would be ‘very bad news’ for the western region.
He welcomed a two-month deferral of the time frame on the proposals brought about mainly by the efforts of Irish MEPs on EU Agri-Committee, but added that this extension of time now had to be used to bring about key changes to the proposal.
If the EU proposals are passed in their current format, it would mean that six months after a farmer had a clear TB test, they would then have to have another pre-movement test – lasting for only 30 days – for mart transactions or farmer-to-farmer sales.
“While this is a very busy political time here in Ireland with the upcoming election, it is also an opportunity for farmers to get the importance of this issue across to our politicians and candidates.
“There are other countries in Europe who don’t have a testing regime as thorough as we already have in Ireland – this is being brought in as part of an overall package of animal health measures.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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