FROM May 2019, farmers who have managed to keep their herd clear of bovine TB for at least six years will be able to revert to annual, rather than six-monthly testing, the Government has announced.

The aim of the new initiative is two-pronged, as it will both help to reduce the burden of the six-monthly tests on low-risk farmers, while also prompting farmers on higher-risk farms to take better steps and precautions against the disease.

The change will also apply to farmers in parts of the TB Edge Area, who are at a greater risk.

Farming Minister George Eustice, said: “Bovine TB still remains the greatest animal health threat to the UK, causing devastation and distress for hard-working farmers and rural communities.

“By allowing these lower risk herds to revert to annual testing we want to encourage other farmers to take steps to reduce the risks of bovine TB.

“From stringent biosecurity to the application of risk-based trading principles, farmers need to be doing everything they can to stop this disease spreading.

“As a Government we will also continue to robustly apply a range of interventions, including cattle movement controls, increased and better TB testing and licensed badger control in certain areas.”

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs also published a new report this month which details the future actions and improvements on farm biosecurity – which was a key focus in the recent report on the badger cull and the Government’s bovine TB strategy, conducted by Sir Charles Godfray.

Sir Charles’s report also advises the Government to provide farmers with better knowledge of education of the disease, in order to remain resilient towards it. Now, a £25,000 investment will now go towards improving the TB Hub website, the central hub for information on the disease.

NFU vice-president Stuart Roberts said: “The chief vet has reiterated that the original cull areas are starting to see the disease control benefits of culling, with the number of new confirmed cattle breakdowns dropping by around 50 per cent, and has said the areas that continued culling this year will see the benefits of reduced disease in cattle over their four-year cull period.

“The change to annual TB testing from May for farms in the edge area whose herds haven’t suffered a TB breakdown for a significant time, if ever, will be welcomed. But it is important that the policy conditions around earned recognition don’t create unfair trading environments which penalise farmers who are already struggling with bTB.”