The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association (ICMSA) has said eradication of TB depends on "effort and commitment" from "right across the sector".

Following the announcement of the TB action plan by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon in September 2025, changes are set to kick in this coming April.

ICMSA deputy president Eamon Carroll said that a "lack of detailed timeline" from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on when new measures will be introduced is an "immediate problem still to be resolved".

"Farmers are making decisions for the year at this stage," Carroll said.

"They are the people who will be directly impacted, and the department should be communicating directly with farmers at this stage so that they know exactly where they stand."

Burden

Carroll said the new rules "impose the largest and most significant burden" on farmers.

"What we all need to see now is similarly clear and precise targets put in place for the other stakeholders - including the department - and critically, that all sources of TB are properly addressed," Carroll continued.

"Farmers will struggle to understand why the new rules entail precise obligations on farmers, but nothing at all or airy-fairy aspirations on all other stakeholders.

"It is categorically not the farmer’s fault that his or her herd has become infected – but these rules seem to place all the burden for eradication on the farmers and none at all on other obvious elements that need to be addressed."

Delivery across the sector

Carroll said that farmers will "play their part", and the department's rules are "very specific for farmers".

"But, farmers are entitled to see delivery right across the sector," he said.

"By that I mean an effective and timely wildlife programme for badgers and deer, an increased ceiling on compensation to reflect current replacement values, and proper controls on controlled finishing units and dealers.  

"We cannot have a scenario whereby it is all about rules on farmers and the everyone else involved in the agri sector simply carry on as normal. 

"Farmers will not accept this - and they’re absolutely right not to do so."