Hon Nathan Guy

Minister for Primary Industries

26 May 2016

$69.8m towards eliminating bovine TB

Budget 2016 confirms $69.8 million of new operating funding over the next four years to help eradicate bovine tuberculosis, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says.

“We’ve made great progress in tackling this destructive disease. This new funding will help achieve our goals of eradicating bovine TB from cattle and deer by 2026, and from TB-infected wildlife in New Zealand by 2055,” Mr Guy says.

“The amended TB Plan is a fundamental shift in approach – from containing the disease to active eradication in livestock and wildlife.

“Since 2002, the number of infected cattle herds has reduced by 90 per cent, and infected deer herds are down by 95 per cent. TB has been cleared from wild animals in more than 1.2 million hectares of forest since 2011.

“This success means we can take a more targeted, scientific risk-based approach to both TB testing for cattle and deer, and wildlife control.

"This work is important because the ability of our beef, dairy and deer industries to compete in global markets hinges on the successful management of TB.”

The management agency for the TB Plan is OSPRI (TB Free NZ), which carries out the work around the country.

The beef, dairy, and deer sectors, and the live cattle and deer animal export sectors also contribute funding to the National Bovine Tuberculosis Pest Management Plan.

ENDS

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