MPI defends cost of new biosecurity lab
The head of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) biosecurity operation, Stuart Anderson, has defended the cost and the need for a Plant Healht and Environment Laboratory (PHEL) being built in Auckland.
MPI’s director of the M.bovis eradication programme Simon Andrew said the infected farm in Mid-Canterbury has clear links to previously infected farms.
"The new confirmed infected property neighbours a cleared confirmed property with strong links to the Wakanui cluster,” Andrew says.
“We are continuing to investigate the infection source and are working with the farmer to depopulate the property in a way that minimises disruption as much as possible.”
He adds that as a result of the new infected property, MPI will be tracing animal movements and other risk events.
“This will likely see an increase in the number of farms under movement restrictions while we ensure the risk of disease spread is mitigated," Andrew says.
This new case has dashed hopes that the country could finally be rid of the cattle disease.
Since 2017 when the disease was found in New Zealand, 280 farms have been cleared if it. Since then, $641 million has been spent on eradication efforts out of a total $870m budget.
Andrew says it is vital that farmers continue animal tracing through National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT).
