Welsh farm leaders have welcomed the appointment of members to the new Bovine TB Eradication Programme Board, as farmers are 'shackled' by the disease.
One of the first tasks of the board will be to consider the analysis of the bovine TB six year milestone target review and policy relating to the management of Inconclusive Reactor test results.
The board, which will meet for the first time in December, will be chaired by Sharon Hammond, a beef, sheep and poultry farmer.
Numerous other farmers, as well as representatives of the Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) and NFU Cymru, will also sit on the board.
The FUW said it welcomed the opportunity to have a seat at the table, but warned that cattle keepers were 'shackled' by the ongoing disease.
In the period from April 2023 to March 2024, over 11,000 cattle were slaughtered because of bovine TB in Wales.
FUW deputy president and dairy farmer, Dai Miles said: "[There are] no inroads being made in achieving the Welsh government's goal of bovine TB freedom by 2041 despite huge sacrifices being imposed on farming businesses.
“As a union, we are keen to play our part on the board and work closely with the Technical Advisory Group in reviewing important matters relevant to bovine TB eradication.”
Eradicating bovine TB is a hugely complex subject, where farmgate frustrations towards ineffective policies fuelled the farming sectors’ protests during the spring of 2024.
Analysis of GB bovine TB statistics evidence little movement in the percentage of herds in Wales that are ‘Not Officially TB Free’.
Over the last six years, there has been a mere 0.09% reduction in the number of ‘Not Officially TB Free’ herds in Wales, setting a poor trajectory for achieving TB freedom.
Mr Miles added that, as an industry, farmers shouldn't have to continue with the status quo.
"We must grasp this opportunity to work collaboratively as an industry to influence and direct change, not only for the present health and wellbeing of our cattle and farmers, but also for our future generations.”
The board will meet quarterly and provide advice to the chief veterinary officer for Wales and Welsh ministers.
