TB Task Force scheduled to meet in early October

Ray Armbruster, chairman of the MCPA’s Animal Health committee is focused on trying to get the TB Task Force back on track.

“The group has not met since February. We need to have updates and a review of last year’s management plan,” he said. “We need a review and to develop a new strategic management plan to move forward.”

At press time, a meeting was scheduled for October 8 which will bring the group together for the first time since February.

Armbruster, who has been critical of the process in the past, says he hopes things may now begin to more forward.

“We really want to see the TB Task Force functional,” he said. “The group needs to restructure, re-focus, and get back to its basic task - removing TB from the RMEA.”

Mustering Fee
Earlier this year, the MCPA was partially successful in lobbying to have a mustering fee paid to producers who are forced to test their cattle for TB on a regular basis.
So far only the provincial government, through MAFRI, has agreed to contribute financial support and recently announced $468,000 to support a three-year continuation of the tuberculosis mustering fee program ($6 per head) first introduced for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 testing years.

To date, the federal government has refused to contribute anything to the program, while the MCPA voted at the last regular Board meeting to continue with the $1 a head support. Producers who have their cattle tested regularly, will receive $7 per head for their efforts. According to Armbruster, that is still not enough, but he says it is a start.

“We have to thank MAFRI for their contribution and for taking a lead on this,” he said.

Testing this fall
Approximately 130 producers are slated to have their cattle tested this fall. Producers on the schedule will be contacted by the CFIA soon so that testing dates can be arranged.

Armbruster would also like to remind producers that if they are in need of a barrier fence to contact either MAFRI or the MCPA office.