Consultation Tuberculosis Eradication (Wales) begins today.
CYMRAEG ISOD / WELSH BELOW
24 April 2009
Bovine TB Consultation Begins
The consultation on the proposed Tuberculosis Eradication (Wales) Order 2009 under the Animal Health Act 1981 begins today.
TB in cattle is an infectious and debilitating disease which has increased dramatically since 1999. Last year more than 12,000 cattle in Wales were slaughtered because of the disease. By 2014 taxpayers could be paying more than £80m to farmers in compensation if the disease continues to escalate at the current rate.
The Welsh Assembly Government has set up a comprehensive programme to eradicate Bovine TB. Since the programme was established, new initiatives have been introduced, including more stringent measures aimed at tackling the spread of the disease by cattle.
Last month the Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones announced that, in her view and on the basis of evidence available, a cull of badgers in an Intensive Action Pilot Area was necessary to begin to address the reservoir of TB that exists in wildlife. This would take place in one area alongside additional measures to tackle the disease in cattle.
She also announced that the Welsh Assembly Government would assume responsibility for managing a badger cull. Although it would be possible to licence farmers or other individuals to undertake this work under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, the Welsh Assembly Government wants to co-ordinate it, and so deliver a cull.
In order to allow the Welsh Assembly Government to manage a badger cull the Government needs the powers to do so. This is why secondary legislation under the Animal Health Act 1981 is needed.
The proposed legislation would also give the Assembly Government powers of entry to vaccinate badgers in the future. The Welsh Assembly Government continues to work with Defra on research to explore the potential for the use of a badger vaccine.
During the past year we have started Health Check Wales a test of all herd in Wales by December 2009. We have also dramatically reduced the number of pre-Health Check Wales overdue test by 80% and we are moving infected animals off farms quicker. Three Regional Eradication Delivery Boards have been set up to develop and co-ordinate local solutions to the disease, and we have increased efforts to improve biosecurity measures on farms.
The twelve week public consultation on the draft order will run from 24 April to 17 July. Copies of the consultation are available from the Welsh Assembly Government TB team or from the Assembly Government’s website at http://wales.gov.uk/consultations/environmentandcountryside/?lang=cy.
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24 Ebrill 2009
Cychwyn Ymgynghoriad TB Gwartheg
Mae ymgynghoriad ar Orchymyn Dileu Tiberciwlosis (Cymru) 2009 o dan ddeddf Iechyd Anifeiliaid 1981 yn cychwyn heddiw.
Mae TB mewn gwartheg yn afiechyd heintus sydd wedi cynyddu’n fawr ers 1999. Llynedd bu’n rhaid difa dros 12,000 o wartheg oherwydd yr afiechyd. Os bydd TB yn dal i gynyddu ar y raddfa bresennol, erbyn 2014 gallai’r gost i’r trethdalwr fod gymaint â £80m o iawndal i ffermwyr.
Mae Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru wedi sefydlu rhaglen holl gynhwysfawr i ddileu TB mewn gwartheg. Ers hynny, dechreuwyd nifer o fentrau newydd, gan gynnwys mesurau llymach i fynd i’r afael â lledaeniad TB trwy wartheg.
Ym mis Mawrth, fe gyhoeddodd y Gweinidog dros Faterion Gwledig ei bod hi o’r farn, ar ôl ystyried y dystiolaeth sydd ar gael, fod angen difa moch daear mewn Ardal Beilot er mwyn mynd i’r afael â TB mewn bywyd gwyllt. Byddai hyn yn digwydd law yn llaw â mesurau’n ymdrin â’r afiechyd mewn gwartheg.
Fe wnaeth hi gyhoeddi hefyd y byddai Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru’n cymryd y cyfrifoldeb am reoli cynllun i ddifa moch daear. Er ei bod hi’n bosibl trwyddedu ffermwyr neu unigolion eraill i ladd moch daear dan Ddeddf Amddiffyn Moch Daear 1992, mae Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru yn credu mai hi ddylai gydlynu ac ymgymryd a’r gwaith.
Er mwyn i Lywodraeth y Cynulliad gael rheoli’r gwaith o ddifa moch daear, mae angen iddi gael y pwerau i wneud hynny. Dyma pam mae angen is-ddeddfwriaeth dan Ddeddf Iechyd Anifeiliaid 1981.
Fe fyddai’r ddeddfwriaeth arfaethedig hefyd yn rhoi’r pwerau mynediad i Lywodraeth y Cynulliad i frechu moch daear yn y dyfodol. Mae Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru’n parhau i gydweithio gyda Defra ar ymchwil i frechlyn ar gyfer moch daear.
Yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf rydyn ni wedi cychwyn Archwiliad Iechyd TB Cymru, i brofi pob buches yng Nghymru erbyn Rhagfyr 2009. Rydyn ni hefyd wedi lleihau o 80% y nifer o brofion a oedd yn hwyr cyn i Archwiliad Iechyd TB Cymru gychwyn, ac yn symud anifeiliaid heintus oddi ar ffermydd yn gynt. Sefydlwyd tri Bwrdd Rhanbarthol i Ddifa TB er mwyn datblygu a chydlynu atebion lleol i’r afiechyd, a rydyn ni wedi cynyddu’r ymdrechion i wella bioddiogelwch ar ffermydd.
Bydd yr ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus ar yr orchymyn drafft yn parhau am ddeuddeg wythnos o 24 Ebrill hyd at 17 Gorffennaf. Bydd copïau o’r ymgynghoriad ar gael oddi wrth dîm TB Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru ac ar wefan Llywodraeth y Cynulliad ar http://wales.gov.uk/consultations/environmentandcountryside/?lang=cy.