Minister Creed announces commencement of Johne’s Disease control programme

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, has welcomed the industry wide agreement on introduction of the second phase of Johne’s Disease control programme. 

The Minister said that his Department had already allocated financial support to the earlier Johne’s Disease pilot programme which ran over the period 2014 – 16. Much important information was gleaned from the pilot programme in putting together the framework for the new Irish Johne’s Disease Programme.

The new programme will run for a period of four years and will be funded by farmers, processors and the State with registrations commencing in the coming week.  The key elements of the programme include whole herd testing, veterinary risk assessments and ancillary testing where required.

The Minister said “my Department will contribute a total of 600,000 euro in 2019 towards the new programme on a cost sharing basis and   this contribution will rise in the following years as the numbers of participants increase”.

The Minister added “the agreement is further testament of the excellent work being done by Animal Health Ireland in underpinning Ireland’s expanding dairy industry”.

The Minister expressed his gratitude to the various industry stakeholders, including  farmers, dairy processors, veterinarians  and his own Department,  that make up the Implementation group for their diligent work in finalising the new programme.