Farmers across Wales are losing their herds and losing their livelihoods. These farming families are already under immense pressure and this documentary will have done nothing to ease their turmoil. The NFU wrote to the BBC raising concerns ahead of the documentary airing, and are currently writing a formal letter of complaint to the broadcaster.
Painful and disrespectful
For the farmers that are living the nightmare that is farming with bovine TB in Wales, it is incredibly painful and disrespectful to see flawed information about how this disease is spread being shown on prime-time national television. However, it is not just those farmers who have TB on the farm but also the thousands of farmers across Wales who have TB threatening at their door, those who are lying awake at night wondering if it will be their turn next. The BBC appears to have given little thought to the impact this documentary will have on the mental health and wellbeing of rural Wales.
Our member survey, which was completed by over 500 farmers from across Wales last year evidenced this, and over 93% of those who responded said they were extremely concerned or very concerned about bovine TB. In addition, of the 462 members who consented to a question on mental health, 85% said TB has negatively impacted the mental health of them and their families.
"We always welcome anybody who wants to do any research into bTB, but we must not play around with people's lives. Robust science is what's needed." @AbiReader discusses our concerns ahead of a bovine TB documentary due to air tonight. The NFU has also written to the BBC. pic.twitter.com/cKRFMAOdc7
— NFU Cymru 🚜 (@NFUCymru) August 23, 2024
Lacking scientific credibility
NFU Cymru is supportive of on farm trials as a way to test ideas but are concerned that the documentary appears to draw concrete conclusions from the experience of one farm which we believe is not scientifically credible. We cannot ignore the peer-reviewed studies based on the experience in England - the Birch review, the Godfray review and the Downs et al review - which show that wildlife control has a significant part to play in controlling this disease. The decision by BBC Wales to broadcast a documentary based on potentially unvalidated and incomplete scientific evidence, without properly exploring alternative studies, is irresponsible and extremely concerning.
Our members are extremely upset at the suggestion that slurry is to blame for the spread of bovine TB. Farmers in Wales are proud to produce food to some of the highest standards in the world and ensuring the health and welfare of our animals on farms along with maintaining high biosecurity standards is our upmost priority. Research by the government’s own body responsible for animal health, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, has determined the possibility that bovine TB is spread through cattle faeces as very low.
More TB breakdowns and more herds living under TB restrictions
Between April 2023 and March 2024 over 11,000 cattle were slaughtered across Wales because of this terrible disease. We are now seeing bovine TB spread into parts of Wales which were traditionally considered lower risk. We are seeing more TB breakdowns and more herds living under TB restrictions. It does not feel to farmers in Wales like the current approach is working. Welsh Government has an ambition for Wales to be TB free by 2041. NFU Cymru wants to believe this is possible, but we have long said that for this ambition to be achieved, we must implement a comprehensive eradication strategy in Wales that deals with the disease wherever it exists.
Bovine TB is a complex disease and there is no magic wand. NFU Cymru passionately believes that our future generations of farmers in Wales should be able to farm without the threat of this terrible disease but if we are to have any hope of that happening, we must have access to all the tools that have been proven to work.
NFU Cymru recently met with the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies MS, and highlighted the impact that bovine TB continues to have on farming families across Wales.
