The Peters family last week had 450 of their 1400-cow herd trucked to slaughter after just one cow tested positive for the cattle disease, now running rampant across the country.
Peters believes a lack of knowledge about M bovis is the biggest threat the disease poses to the dairy industry.
More effort needs to go into educating farmers about the symptoms and science behind the disease because more education would lessen a lot of the fear associated with it.
“People don’t need to be scared of it. What we need is it to be studied in a New Zealand herd so we can learn how to keep it out.”
With the disease now spread from one end of the country to the other it’s too late to try and eradicate it.
“Instead, switch to helping farmers self-manage it. Farmers aren’t being given the recognition they deserve for their ability to manage diseases.
“You’ve got to give us some credit. This sort of thing is not new to farmers,” Peters said.
Events of recent weeks demonstrate eradication is no longer a short term option, Federated Farmers dairy chairman Chris Lewis said.
“It’s crunch time.
“It’s so big now, it’s gone so far. New strategies are needed.
“We need to contain it, test for it and have a good management plan based on all current testing and all available information so MPI can form co-governance with industry for eradication management on a much longer term.
“The question mark is how long that management plan is and do we eradicate whole herds or individual animals?” Lewis said.
ASB rural economist Nathan Penny suggested M bovis is now more likely to become a managed disease because it is in other major dairy exporters.
Longer term the most significant impact might be the potential to reduce NZ industry productivity via increased animal health costs and lower production of infected animals.
Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr said M bovis will certainly affect prices and the marketing capability of the NZ agricultural story but it is too soon to tell whether it’s a financial security risk.
Agriculture and Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor said a meeting last week with farming leaders focused on helping farmers through the next few weeks.
“We all committed to make a decision about the next steps in the M bovis response within the next couple of weeks. We talked about phased eradication and long-term management.
“It is a difficult choice that we will make together once we receive more advice from the Technical Advisory Group,” O’Connor said.
The ministry gave $307,000 to Rural Support Trust to help farmers and $7.8 million of funding has been committed for farmers struggling with feed issues.
O’Connor promised affected farmers an initial compensation payment within two weeks.
“MPI has committed that farmers whose animals are culled due to presence of the infection will receive an initial payment for the value of culled stock within two weeks of a completed claim being lodged,” O’Connor said.
Over the next few weeks farmers who are not under MPI controls are allowed to move stock but they must adhere to National Animal Identification and Tracing requirements.
Bill passes its first reading
A bill designed to protect financially stressed farmers has passed its first reading in Parliament.
In the name of NZ First MP Mark Patterson, the Farm Debt Mediation Bill will require independent debt mediation before a receivership can start.
Patterson made reference to the financial threat faced by farmers with herds infected with Mycoplasma bovis as a motivating factor.
“This Government has dedicated $100m but we are yet to fully comprehend the full scale and impact of the outbreak.
“The potential economic loss is massive and when the individual farmer faces the spectre of creditors at their door we have to do the right thing to help alleviate the situation,” Patterson said.
