There are a number of organisations who can help with further information and advice regarding bovine TB.
The Farming Community Network (FCN)
FCN seeks to provide confidential, non-judgemental support to all those in need of help in the farming community in England and Wales, whether the issue is related to the farm business or the farm household.
e-helpline service: help@fcn.org.uk
Freephone: 03000 111 999
Email for general enquiries: help@fcn.org.uk
See the FCN website for further details.
The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI)
RABI provides guidance, practical care and financial support to farming people of all ages. Tailored to individual needs, this confidential support is available via RABI’s freephone helpline.
e-helpline: help@rabi.org.uk
Freephone: 0800 188 4444
General enquiries: info@rabi.org.uk
See the RABI website for further details.
TB Advisory Service (TBAS)
TBAS is a network of experienced veterinary advisers that provide free, bespoke advice to keepers of cattle and farmed non-bovine animals in England on measures that can be taken to reduce the risk and impact of bovine TB.
TBAS provides this advice through on-farm advice visits, one-to-one advisory sessions and a telephone helpline.
Email: info@tbas.org.uk
Telephone: 01306 779 410
See the TBAS website for further details.
TB Eradication Groups (TBEGs)
TBEGs are groups of farmers, organisations and veterinarians that share experience and best practice in tackling bovine TB in England.
The current active TBEGs in England are:
- Buckinghamshire, Berkshire & Oxfordshire.
- Cornwall.
- Wiltshire.
If you are interested in getting involved with one of these groups or would like to sett up a TBEG covering a county or region, please contact btbengage@defra.gov.uk.
Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)
APHA work to safeguard animal and plant health for the benefit of people, the environment and the economy. APHA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Welsh Government and Scottish Government.
APHA delivers bovine TB controls in England, Scotland and Wales, including instructing statutory TB testing and investigating and managing TB breakdowns.
England
Email: TBadvice@apha.gov.uk
Telephone: 03000 200 301
This is the Defra Rural Services Helpline and can also be used to contact the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). For customers in Scotland and Wales, contact your local APHA Field Services office.
Scotland
Email: apha.scotland@apha.gov.uk
Wales
Email: apha.cymruwales@apha.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 303 8268
See the APHA website for further details.
National Farmers Union (NFU)
The NFU is the largest organisation representing farmers and growers. Their purpose is to champion British agriculture and horticulture, and to campaign for a stable and sustainable future for British farmers.
The NFU is a membership organisation and members can receive the latest TB policy updates, TB news and also one to one advice from specialist advisors.
England
NFU members contact NFU Callfirst: 0370 845 8458
Telephone: 024 76 858 500
See the NFU website for further details.
Wales
Telephone: 01982 554 200
See the NFU Cymru website for further details.
British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA)
BCVA is the membership society of British cattle vets. They see the vet playing a central role to safeguard and improve the wellbeing of cattle and safety of our food within sustainable beef and dairy industries.
BCVA represents the views of their members in the wider livestock industry, provides and signposts continuing professional development for cattle vets, and promotes lifelong learning as well as cattle health and welfare.
BCVA provide representation on behalf of British cattle vets in the wider livestock industry as well as remaining a trusted source of knowledge on cattle health and welfare topics.
Email: office@cattlevet.co.uk
Telephone: 01452 725735
See the BCVA website for further details.
Veterinary Delivery Partners
TB testing and other official veterinarian (OV) work in England is undertaken by five Delivery Partners (UK Farmcare). In Wales this is undertaken by two Delivery Partners (Menter a Busnes and Iechyd Da (Gwledig). Veterinary Delivery Partners are responsible for carrying out TB testing to a high standard via a network of local vets.
England
Email: info@ukfarmcare.com
Telephone: 0800 612 5289
Wales
Menter a Busnes
Email: gia@menterabusness.co.uk
Telephone: 01248 668639
Iechyd Da (Gwledig)
Email: info@i-da.co.uk
Telephone: 01970 636 688
Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB)
AHDB is a statutory levy board, funded by farmers, growers and others in the supply chain, and managed as an independent organisation. They aim to support farmers, growers and industry to succeed in a rapidly changing world. AHDB provides products and services to improve the sustainability of farming through providing independent, evidence-based information to British farmers.
Email: info@ahdb.org.uk
Telephone: 02476 692051
See the AHDB website for further details.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
Defra is responsible for safeguarding the natural environment, supporting the UK’s world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy.
Defra has developed a strategy for achieving officially TB free status for England, which is delivered on the ground by the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
Email: btbengage@defra.gov.uk
See the Defra website for further details.
Natural England
Natural England is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by Defra.
They are the government’s adviser for the natural environment in England, helping to protect England’s nature and landscapes for people to enjoy and for the services they provide.
Natural England is the licensing authority for any activities that disturb or harm badgers and their setts, including badger culling and vaccination. In England, badgers and their setts are protected by the Protection of Badgers Act 1992.
Email: enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk
Telephone: 0300 060 3900
See the Natural England website for further details.
Landex
Landex is a subscriber organisation which represents the interests of land based colleges and the industries they serve. Landex provides quality enhancement services and continuing professional development to continually improve and support education and training across the UK.
Land Based Learning is a subsidiary of Landex. The lbl.global website and the Virtual Learning Environment are used to host training materials on bovine TB biosecurity as well as many other specialise land based areas.
Email: lbl@lblonline.co.uk
Telephone: 01604 892 650
See the Landex website for further details.
Welsh Government
Policy on bovine TB is devolved to Governments in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Welsh Government has established a TB eradication programme to carry out their long term goal of eradicating the disease from Wales.
In Wales, bovine TB policy is developed by the Welsh Government and delivered on the ground by the Animal & Plant Health Agency.
Email: bovinetb@gov.wales
See the Welsh Government website for further details.
Scottish Government
Policy on bovine TB is devolved to Governments in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Scottish Government is responsible for implementing the bovine TB disease control and compensation policy in Scotland, which is delivered by the Animal and Plant Health Agency. Scotland achieved officially TB free (OTF) status in 2009, in recognition of the relatively low and stable incidence of TB found in Scottish cattle herds. Scotland’s disease control policy is aimed at maintaining and safeguarding that status.
Scottish Government can provide advice and guidance in relation to bovine TB in Scotland. Information can be found on the TB pages of the Scottish Government website.
Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA)
Policy on bovine TB is devolved to Governments in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
DAERA has responsibility for food, farming, environmental, fisheries, forestry and sustainability policy, and the development of the rural sector in Northern Ireland.
DAERA is committed to reducing and ultimately eradicating TB in cattle in Northern Ireland. DAERA delivers their bovine TB eradication programme and develops the policy behind it.
Email: daera.helpline@daera-ni.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 200 7840
See the DAERA website for further details.
