The current status of bovine TB in Wales could put future trade deals at risk, the Farmers’ Union of Wales warned at its Press Conference on Sunday (July 17) ahead of the Royal Welsh Show.
Addressing the conference, FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “We know that the current rates of bovine TB may represent a significant threat in terms of meat and dairy exports once we are outside the EU, and there is a real risk that our current TB status could be used against us during trade negotiations.
“This means that we have to proactively address the problem, otherwise we might jeopardise all UK trade negotiations with Europe.”
The FUW’s longstanding policy on proactively managing the wildlife disease reservoir has been well publicised; what has now changed is that failing to implement that policy may lead to the loss of our export markets post-Brexit - the Union President added.
The FUW is now calling on the Welsh Government to initiate a proactive badger management policy at the earliest opportunity to ensure that Wales does not risk losing access to foreign markets.
Glyn Roberts warned: “Let me be absolutely clear here - if we do not sort out the long running problems with Bovine TB we will be putting the UK’s Trade policies at complete risk - we will not be able to trade with the European Union without fixing - or having a clear programme to fix - the issue of Bovine TB.
“This is not just about Dairy - it will impact all sectors. The Welsh Government has it in its powers now to take proactive action and on behalf of all of us who wish to export in the future, I demand that they do take action now. This is not an issue for individual farmers to apply for licenses. It needs a centrally planned and managed solution.
“It is now time for the Welsh Government to accept that they already have powers and responsibilities and they cannot now hide behind EU regulations. It is definitely time for action.”
As the FUW predicted, throwing millions of pounds at badger vaccination in and around north Pembrokeshire has yielded no results whatsoever.
“The clock is now ticking - how fast, we don’t know, but it is ticking, and we need to see our Welsh Government taking the sort of aggressive proactive approach to the disease in wildlife they have taken towards cattle.
“If they don’t, then there is a significant risk that our export negotiations will be at an end before they start,” stressed the FUW President.