Perpetual TB Infection Status

I am not at all surprised that Welsh farmers are up in arms following the comment made in the Senedd Chamber yesterday by the Labour MS, Member of the Senedd, for Mid and West Wales, Joyce Watson:

“If we’re talking about a rethink, Minister, have you looked at any farms that have perpetual TB status, and have you considered the question of whether those particular farms should be dairy farms at all? Because if it is the case that they are in perpetual TB infection status, surely they need to find another business.”

Commenting on the Labour MS’ inflammatory comments, Welsh Conservative Shadow Rural Affairs Minister, Samuel Kurtz MS said:

“A Labour backbencher, representing Wales’ largest rural region, calling for dairy farmers to ‘find another business’ if they’re under TB restrictions shows a complete lack of empathy for farming families suffering with the consequences of the Welsh Government’s lack of progress on Bovine TB eradication. For years farmers have followed the rules set by the Welsh Government on TB. So, the real question is why, after all these years, do we still have continuous TB breakdowns in Welsh herds? It’s because the Welsh Government fail to grab this situation by the scruff of the neck and do what is necessary to eradicate TB. Farming needs a friend and it’s clear from the Labour Member’s comments that farming will find no friends within the Labour Party”

I’m not at all knowledgeable about TB, but as the Labour Government are in control in Wales surely the fact we still have TB in Wales is down to them. Have they never had a plan to eradicate TB? Dairy farmers in this TB Infection Status situation surely need constructive help from the Labour Government and not an MS suggesting they turn to another business to survive and support their families. This really doesn’t make any sense to me and my thoughts are with the farming community who are working incredibly hard to provide food for Wales.