Janet Finch-Saunders AM calls on the First Minister Carwyn Jones to make a statement on Bovine TB levels in Wales.

 

Janet said last week:

 

"The number of cattle slaughtered as a result of contracting bovine TB has actually seen a sharp increase of 43 per cent over the past 12 months, bringing much misery and financial hardship to our farmers"

 

"I understand that the Welsh Government abandoned its own vaccine programme in December, given the levels of human TB and the shortage of vaccine now available"

 

"The FUW has stressed the difference in approach and understanding between your Government and policies implemented in England, and without a proactive approach to manage the source of infection in cattle and wildlife, international trade negotiations for Wales could be put at significant risk"

 

Janet asked the First Minister:

 

"Given what can only be described now as a crisis in farming, as regards to bovine TB, what immediate action are you taking to resolve this?"

 

"Will you, as First Minister, make a statement in this Chamber to the Assembly Members, and also to our very worried farmers out there in Wales?"

 

Carwyn Jones replied:

 

"It would be for the Minister to make that statement, and she will be keeping the Assembly informed of that. But, as I said, the number of breakdowns has gone down. Testing is up. We know that there are no difficulties in terms of international trade, as far as bovine TB is concerned. In fact, the eradication programme, which is jointly owned by England, Wales and Northern Ireland, has received £31 million of European money. There we are; let’s see if that continues in the future. So, there’s no difficulty with the approach that we have taken. No country, nor indeed the European Union, has ever said that they have difficulty with the approach taken to reducing TB incidence in Wales".

 

Speaking after plenary Janet said:

 

"I look forward to the cabinet secretary making a statement on bovine TB in the near future, but will uphold the argument that the Welsh Government do need to take urgent action on this matter as the figures show that number of cattle slaughtered as a result of contracting bovine TB has actually seen a sharp increase of 43 per cent over the past 12 months".

 

"This problem that causes much distress and difficulties to farmers in my constituency and throughout Wales needs to be addressed with a feasible long term plan."

 

Janet Finch-Saunders AC: Yn galw ar y Prif Weinidog, Carwyn Jones, I neud datganiad ar lefelau TB buchol yng Nghymru.

 

Dywedodd Janet wythnos diwethaf:

 

"Bu cynnydd sydyn o 43 y cant i nifer y gwartheg a laddwyd o ganlyniad i ddal TB buchol yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, gan ddod â llawer o ddiflastod a chaledi ariannol i'n ffermwyr"

 

"Rwy’n deall fod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi rhoi’r gorau i’w rhaglen brechlyn ei hun ym mis Rhagfyr, o ystyried y lefelau TB dynol a phrinder y brechlyn sydd ar gael nawr"

 

"Mae UAC wedi pwysleisio’r gwahaniaeth yn yr ymagwedd a’r ddealltwriaeth rhwng eich Llywodraeth chi a pholisïau a roddwyd ar waith yn Lloegr, a gallai trafodaethau masnach ryngwladol ar gyfer Cymru gael eu rhoi mewn perygl sylweddol heb ddull rhagweithiol o reoli ffynhonnell yr haint mewn gwartheg a bywyd gwyllt"

 

Gofynodd Janet ir Prif Weinidog:

 

"O ystyried yr hyn y gellir ond ei ddisgrifio bellach fel argyfwng ym myd ffermio, o ran TB buchol, pa gamau uniongyrchol ydych chi’n eu cymryd i ddatrys hyn?" 

 

"A wnewch chi, fel Prif Weinidog, wneud datganiad yn y Siambr hon i Aelodau'r Cynulliad, a hefyd i'n ffermwyr pryderus iawn allan yna yng Nghymru?"

 

Ymatebodd Carwyn Jones:

 

"Mater i'r Gweinidog fyddai gwneud y datganiad hwnnw, a bydd hi’n rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am hynny i'r Cynulliad. Ond, fel y dywedais, mae nifer y methiannau wedi gostwng. Cynhelir mwy o brofion. Rydym ni’n gwybod nad oes unrhyw anawsterau o ran masnach ryngwladol, cyn belled ag y mae TB buchol yn y cwestiwn. Yn wir, mae'r rhaglen ddileu, y mae Cymru, Lloegr a Gogledd Iwerddon yn gyfrifol amdani ar y cyd, wedi cael £31 miliwn o arian Ewropeaidd. Dyna ni; gadewch i ni weld a fydd hynny'n parhau yn y dyfodol. Felly, nid oes unrhyw anhawster o ran yr ymagwedd yr ydym ni wedi ei chymryd. Nid oes unrhyw wlad, na’r Undeb Ewropeaidd yn wir, erioed wedi dweud eu bod yn cael anhawster â'r ymagwedd a gymerwyd i leihau achosion o TB yng Nghymru".

 

Arol y Cyfarfod Llawn dywedodd Janet:

"Rwyf yn edrych ym mlaen i glywed datganiad Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ar TB buchol yn fuan, ond byddaf yn parhau i ddadlau bod Llywodraeth Cymry angen cymryd camau yn syth i ddelio efo'r mater yma gan fod y ffigyrau yn dangos bod cynnydd sydyn o 43 y cant i nifer y gwartheg a laddwyd o ganlyniad i ddal TB buchol yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf."

"Mae'r problem yma sudd yn creu llawer o anawsterau i ffermwyr yn fy etholaeth a drwy gydol Cymru angen cael ei ddelio efo drwy greu cynllwyn tymor hir ymarferol".