TB SCOPING STUDY WELCOMED
The NFU today said it was pleased that Defra has eventually published its "scoping study" to pave the way for development of a vaccine to fight bovine TB.
The study has been put together by Defra's Independent Scientific Group and follows pressure from the NFU and others for more work to tackle the growing spread of the disease. It was published on Friday (12 December).
NFU Deputy President Tim Bennett said: "Finding a vaccine to beat the disease is absolutely vital and the NFU has been pressing very hard for the details of work in progress to be announced.
"Bovine TB is a rapidly escalating problem in both cattle and wildlife populations, and the government has been slow to develop a strategy including vaccines to control this disease.
"No more time must be lost in developing every available method of tackling this disease and field trials on badgers should start immediately."
The study looked at the potential use of vaccines for both cattle and badgers.
This was the primary goal of a joint action plan signed by the country's leading vets and farming organisations following an NFU-organised conference earlier this year.
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