James Evans has asked the Welsh Government what it is doing to tackle the spread of bluetongue in Wales.
The Brecon and Radnorshire MS asked Rural Affairs Secretary, Huw Irranca-Davies, at the Senedd last week what discussions the Government is having with the Animal and Plant Health Agency to reduce the spread of bluetongue and provide guidance for farmers now that the first cases have been found in sheep in Wales.
He said the spread of bluetongue is extremely concerning for the farming community, and it is crucial that it is dealt with “head on”.
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The Brecon and Radnorshire MS asked Rural Affairs Secretary, Huw Irranca-Davies, at the Senedd last week what discussions the Government is having with the Animal and Plant Health Agency to reduce the spread of bluetongue and provide guidance for farmers now that the first cases have been found in sheep in Wales.
He said the spread of bluetongue is extremely concerning for the farming community, and it is crucial that it is dealt with “head on”.
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00:00And the question is to be asked by James Evans.
00:01Discussions is the Welsh Government having with the Animal, Plant and Health Agency
00:06to provide guidance to farmers and reduce the spread of Blue Tongue
00:09in light of the first cases being found in sheep in Wales?
00:13Deal, James.
00:14I have issued a statement today setting out the latest position in Wales
00:18and my advice to farmers.
00:20My officials are in daily contact with the Animal and Plant
00:23Health Agency and other partners to control Blue Tongue.
00:27Although the virus has been detected in some sheep bought into north Wales,
00:32we currently have no evidence of active infection here
00:35and my policy goal continues to be to keep Wales free of this new disease.
00:41Thank you for your answer, Cabinet Secretary.
00:42I also thank the Presiding Officer for accepting this very important topical question today.
00:46I did notice, as you say, after my topical question was accepted,
00:49that the Welsh Government released a written statement on the spread of Blue Tongue,
00:53which was great timing, I must say,
00:55but it was a shame that the Welsh Government couldn't bring forward an oral statement yesterday,
00:59because this is a very important issue for farmers across Wales,
01:02and it's a shame that we've had to come this way to get you to the Chamber.
01:06As outlined in your response, Cabinet Secretary, and indeed in your written statement,
01:09the spread of Blue Tongue is extremely concerning for our farming community
01:13and it is crucial that we deal with this head on.
01:16I welcome the actions that have already been taken,
01:18including the extensive sampling and the laboratory tests
01:22that have been carried out by APHA and the Peelbright Institute.
01:25Nevertheless, Cabinet Secretary, there have been cases of Blue Tongue
01:29in the south-east of England since August,
01:31and plans, of course, have been put in place in England by DEFRA and APHA,
01:35but, regrettably, this doesn't seem to be the case in Wales.
01:39In light of this, can you elaborate on what discussions you're having
01:42with your counterparts in DEFRA regarding the spread,
01:45and will you be putting any biosecurity measures,
01:47such as restricted zones and infected areas, that have occurred in England,
01:51because I think that's something we could see in north Wales.
01:54I wonder if you're willing to take that.
01:56Also, we're actually in the height of the stock-buying season at the minute
01:59on breeding stocks.
02:00I'm just interested in what advice you're going to be giving to farmers
02:03through Farming Connect or other agencies
02:06around the purchasing of stocks in those high-risk areas in England,
02:08because an awful lot of farmers in my constituency
02:11are heading off into England to buy their stock ready for next year.
02:15In addition to this, something I've heard from farmers
02:18is about the messaging from the Welsh Government,
02:21that they're getting lots of updates from the APHA about cases in England,
02:25but there's actually nothing coming through from the Welsh Government.
02:28So, I'm just interested, would you consider sending mobile alerts
02:31to farmers in Wales about cases that are emerging?
02:34Because I think that would be something that we do need to hear about.
02:38And also, finally, about the compensation regime for our farmers in Wales.
02:42Can you explain how that is going to work to make sure that our farmers in Wales
02:46are compensated properly for the stock that they lose to Blue Town?
02:49Thank you, Llywydd.
02:50James, thank you for those questions.
02:52And, Llywydd, just to clarify, we had, in discussion with the chief veterinary officer
02:58and officials from APHA, planned to bring forward a statement today,
03:01which we brought forward, the written statement,
03:04when we knew all the details of the current infection,
03:08infected animals that have been brought into Gwynedd, and not before,
03:13because we wanted to have a proper statement
03:15that we could give all the facts and details.
03:17So, I hope you'll understand that the timing of bringing forward the written statement
03:21was to bring it forward with the full information, rather than premature information.
03:26So, I was glad to bring that statement forward.
03:28You've raised a number of questions.
03:30First of all, it's not the case in any respect whatsoever
03:34that Welsh Government or APHA or the CBO are late to the game.
03:38In fact, a Great Britain Blue Town control strategy has been in place since August 2014,
03:44and it's been reviewed regularly.
03:46We have, in Welsh Government, and our officials and our CBO,
03:50have had intensive engagement with UK counterparts and disease experts
03:54in the UK and, indeed, across Europe,
03:57intensifying, in fact, since the BtB3 incursion into the Netherlands in September 2023,
04:03which brought it closer to us.
04:05So, the intensity of engagement stepped up.
04:08We've been raising awareness with the farming and the veterinary communities
04:11since the incursion to the Netherlands,
04:13and more intensively since the disease incursions into England last November and this August.
04:20CBO have established an industry stakeholder workshop.
04:23It meets regularly to discuss the risks
04:25and the Welsh Government response to an incursion or outbreak of Blue Tongue in Wales,
04:29making clear, once again, Llywydd, this is not a midge-borne outbreak in Wales.
04:34These are three animals that we've identified
04:37because of the efficacy of our tracking system here
04:40that have been brought into Wales at this moment.
04:42Not midge-borne.
04:45This group, the stakeholder group, is updated on the disease pictured in Europe and England
04:50and the increasing risk to Wales at every meet-in.
04:53And the decision to allow movements from restricted zones to slaughter
04:56only at designated abattoirs was taken in consultation with this group.
05:01We're in regular close contact with farming unions
05:04and organisations like the National Streep Association.
05:07They're very important partners with us on this group,
05:10and they cascade information on the risks to their members.
05:13We're very grateful for their co-operation
05:15and for their reach into the agricultural communities.
05:18We've also run, through Ofco, Llywydd, webinars for vets in practice
05:22to raise awareness, to share details of the clinical signs
05:25so that vets can discuss the disease with their clients.
05:28And we do encourage keepers to seek veterinary advice
05:32before sourcing animals from high-risk areas
05:34so they can make an informed assessment.
05:37But crucially, Llywydd, currently we have no evidence
05:41of active blue-tongue infection in Wales.
05:44In recent days, what we have is a small number of sheep
05:48brought into Wales from the east of England.
05:51This does not constitute an outbreak or midge-borne infection in Wales,
05:55and we have to reinforce that message.
05:57But we are asking people to be very vigilant.
06:01You mentioned, I think, the issue of compensation.
06:05The three animals that have been killed,
06:07compensation has been paid to the farmer affected.
06:11Farmers will receive compensation if blue-tongue is diagnosed
06:15and the CVO or the DCVO orders the killing of affected animals,
06:20and that's in line with our normal protocol.
06:24I hope that helps to answer some of your questions.
06:28I can go into more detail, of course,
06:30but I'm conscious of the time as well.
06:33Llyr Gruffydd.
06:34Diolch, Llyr Brif Weinidog.