Kilkenny farmers to benefit from new cross-border bovine tuberculosis cooperation project

A new Shared Island Initiative to tackle the growing impact of bovine tuberculosis on farms in a pilot area has been announced by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, and Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland, Andrew Muir MLA.

“In my Department’s recently published TB Action Plan, we noted the need for continued collaboration between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to tackle a disease that affects cattle farming across this island,” Minister Heydon said.

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“I welcome this innovative new project and look forward to working with Minister Muir to agree the detail of this project in the weeks ahead.”

Welcoming the initiative, Minister Muir added: “Some of the most difficult conversations I have had since coming into post last year have been with those farmers whose herds are down with bovine TB.

“The economic impact along with the emotional and mental health stress TB breakdowns place on farm families highlight the importance of working together as we maximise our efforts to tackle this costly disease.”

Both Departments will now engage in developing the overall approach for the cooperation project which is to focus on implementation of measures on a coordinated regional basis, to support reduction of bovine TB incidence and transmission.

The project will be consistent with and contribute to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs overall policies and approach on working with farmers to tackle bovine TB.
A further announcement on the detail of the project will take place once this work is completed.