Ms Rosanne Greene:

As has been stated, much of our communication is focused on the people who have animals that have been identified as having TB. Increasingly, we are recognising that we need to look to the 97% of people who do not have animals with TB and advise them as to how they can reduce the risk of their herds contracting the disease.

I will outline a number of things that we have committed to doing over the next couple of years. First, as Mr. Sheahan mentioned, we will produce a number of short videos on how to make farms more biosecure in order to avoid the spread of TB in herds, issues relating to wildlife, badgers or whatever, issues regarding the purchase of animals and, perhaps, animals in people's herds, and whether farmers needs to look at the older animals in their herds. In addition, increasing focus is being placed on the herds that do not have TB as well as those that do. We will also produce a number of leaflets that will complement the videos. There is very little information publicly available unless people consult our website. We hope to produce some small colourful leaflets that will explain the different types of TB tests, what they mean and what the results mean. Many of the leaflets will focus on the herds that have TB reactors and will answer questions as to why animals with outward lesions are not killed, etc. We will highlight the biosecurity issues and what people can do to protect their herds is they do not currently have animals infected with TB.

We are reviewing all of the letters that we issue to farmers. Annual letters relating to the round test issued to all farmers, not just to those who own herds that are infected with TB. Last year, we revamped the letter into a very simple "dos and don'ts" information leaflet, which we hope is a vast improvement on what went before. We are reviewing all of the letters in order to make them more farmer-friendly, convey clearer messages and, hopefully, give more advice to people on what they can do to protect their herds. I have outlined some of the things that we will do in the next couple of years.