Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1474. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to reconvene the tuberculosis forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22547/20]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1475. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the recent changes to the tuberculosis eradication programme with particular reference to the issue of tuberculosis herd history risk statements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22548/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1474 and 1475 together.

My Department is in the process of organising the reconvening of the Bovine TB Forum.

The Bovine TB Forum Interim Report (July 2019) identified the need to provide more effective information to farmers to help them reduce the risk of TB in their herd and advocated for the development of herd risk categories that are “simple, clear, and convey sufficient information to enable farmers to make the decisions appropriate to their situation”.

In line with this proposal from the Forum, my Department developed individualised reports that provide a simplified TB herd risk category for farmers, with herd-specific advice on how to reduce risk of TB. Farmers are already provided with information in relation to their TB risk, but this new report presents this in a very much more user friendly, detailed and practical form.

While bTB disease is low relative to historical levels, TB herd incidence and reactor numbers have been gradually increasing since 2016. The pace of deterioration has accelerated in 2020. Herd incidence at 4.2% is now at its highest level since 2012 while reactor numbers at 21,000 are back at 2009 rates.

It is imperative that stakeholders work together in reducing TB rates to support and protect farm families.

Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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1476. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will engage with the tuberculosis forum regarding the recent tuberculosis history letters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22695/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Bovine TB Forum is due to reconvene shortly and my Department will continue to engage in this round table effort to eradicate Bovine TB. The Bovine TB Forum Interim Report (July 2019) identified the need for effective information to be provided to farmers. It advocated for the development of herd risk categories that are “simple, clear, and convey sufficient information to enable farmers to make the decisions appropriate to their situation”. My Department developed the TB Herd History Risk Statement and Report in line with that proposal.