I'm grateful for the opportunity to contribute. Bovine TB has been a dark cloud over Wales's agricultural industry for too long, costing some farmers their businesses, their livelihoods and severely impacting on their mental health. Frankly, I don't care who gets the plaudits for eradicating TB from Welsh herds, because it is such a vicious disease, causing immense hardship, I just want to get this sorted once and for all. So does the industry.

This committee report is being debated in the same week as the Welsh Government provided their TB update, and I'm pleased that the Welsh Government has accepted all the recommendations fully or in principle. The recommendations put forward by the Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee offer the opportunity to grab this problem by the scruff, bringing farmers back into the fold around TB decision making on their farms. There is also so much that we can learn from other countries, such as Ireland, New Zealand and England, on how they controlled and eradicated bovine TB.

Focusing on a couple of specific points, whilst there is some welcome positivity that the annual number of animals slaughtered for TB control has decreased from 11,655 to 10,117, we must remember, however, that over 100,000 cattle have been slaughtered since 2008—a considerable and upsettingly large number.

Recommendation 10 notes the shortage of vets and the possibility of introducing lay vaccinators to vaccinate cattle and lay testers to test cattle. This is a pragmatic recommendation, freeing up vets whilst still enabling TB testing to be conducted, and I'm pleased that the Welsh Government has agreed to it. However, I would like further information on when the Welsh Government would think that this could be enacted.

Additionally, recommendations 11 and 12 call on the Welsh Government to

'use TB compensation payments to reward good farming practices'. and states,

'If the Welsh Government chooses to introduce a tabular compensation system, they must ensure that farmers rearing high value (e.g. pedigree) cattle are not treated unfairly and do not lose out.'

Whilst the Government accepting these principles is somewhat welcome, I do feel that the response is somewhat of a holding reply, explaining that the payments regime is subject to consideration, with the additional comment that resulting costs will be drawn from existing programme budgets. So, it does concern me that with no new money being provided to tackle this disease, the Government has left itself open to the accusation that it is merely tinkering around the edges.

Farming is in desperate need of a friend, especially on TB. I sincerely hope that after the bruising last decade or so for farmers in the fight against TB, today, this report and the Welsh Government statement, signals a turning of the page and a re-energised TB eradication strategy. My thanks go to the committee Chair, the Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire; the clerking team; the witnesses who provided their evidence; and to fellow colleagues on the committee. Diolch.