The report is now with Ministers who will consider its recommendations before publishing a response, setting out the next steps for the bTB Strategy.
The main findings from the report include:
- industry must take greater responsibility for on-farm controls, biosecurity and safe trading practices to stop the disease spreading
- more can be done to help farmers make purchasing decisions reflecting the risks of cattle being infected
- evidence shows that badgers do transmit bovine TB to cattle and contribute to the persistence of the disease
- disease reduction would benefit from greater flexibility and agility in adapting bovine TB control measures as new research findings emerge
- A new independent body on disease control would be helpful to take over disease control operations from APHA, Natural England and local authorities (this recommendation will be considered by the government in light of the wider Dame Glenys Stacey review into farm inspections).