Sam Rowlands, a Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales wants Welsh Government to do more to reassure farmers over its new plan for the TB eradication.
Mr Rowlands was responding to an update to the Welsh Parliament from Lesley Griffiths, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, on the Welsh Government’s TB Eradication Programme.
He said:
North Wales is such an important region for the agricultural industry and for farming families, who play such an important role, both in our local economy but more broadly in ensuring our language and culture are enhanced and prosper really well in my region.
That is why it's so important that as Welsh Government you're about to create the right conditions for our farming businesses to thrive.
When I speak to farmers in my region, TB eradication is often the main point of conversation. Sadly, currently, they often feel they are unable to take all of the steps necessary to protect their livestock and their businesses from the spread of TB. And they are expected to live with the anxiety of having entire herds wiped out by this disease.
So, in light of this, Minister, which part of the programme do you think gives farmers in North Wales the most reassurance that they may need to feel confident that the programme itself will protect their livestock, their family businesses, and their communities?
The Minister said she hoped the whole programme would work and everyone had their part to play and it was really important that farmers look at informed purchasing and their biosecurity and if they had concerns, speak to their own vet in the first instance, and then the Welsh Government.
Mr Rowlands, a keen supporter of the agriculture sector added:
While I welcome any new measures many farmers I have met with in recent months are still very concerned that not enough is being done to deal with the root cause of the problem. Let alone the emotional strain on hard-working farmers.
It is a devastating disease, not only for the animals who suffer but also for the impact on farming families. I do hope Welsh Government will do more to eradicate it and give more help to farmers in North Wales who have to deal with it.
Sam Rowlands AS yn galw am fwy o gymorth i ffermwyr er mwyn delio â TB Buchol
Mae Sam Rowlands, Aelod o’r Senedd dros Ogledd Cymru, eisiau i Lywodraeth Cymru wneud mwy i dawelu meddyliau ffermwyr ynglŷn â’i chynllun newydd i ddileu’r diciâu.
Roedd Mr Rowlands yn ymateb i ddiweddariad i’r Senedd gan Lesley Griffiths, y Gweinidog Materion Gwledig a Gogledd Cymru, ar Raglen Dileu TB Llywodraeth Cymru.
Meddai:
Mae’r Gogledd yn rhanbarth mor bwysig i’r diwydiant amaethyddol ac i ffermydd teuluol, sy’n chwarae rôl mor bwysig yn ein heconomi leol ond hefyd yn fwy eang wrth gyfoethogi ein hiaith a’n diwylliant a sicrhau eu bod yn ffynnu yn fy rhanbarth.
Dyna pam ei bod hi mor bwysig i Lywodraeth Cymru greu’r amodau cywir i’n busnesau ffermio ffynnu.
Wrth siarad â ffermwyr yn fy rhanbarth, dileu TB yw’r prif destun trafod yn aml. Yn anffodus, ar hyn o bryd, maen nhw’n aml yn teimlo nad ydyn nhw’n gallu cymryd yr holl gamau sydd eu hangen i amddiffyn eu da byw a’u busnesau rhag TB. Ac mae disgwyl iddyn nhw fyw gyda’r pryder o golli buchesi cyfan i’r clefyd hwn.
Felly Weinidog, yng ngoleuni hyn, pa ran o’r rhaglen ydych chi’n meddwl sy’n rhoi’r sicrwydd mwyaf i ffermwyr y Gogledd y gallant deimlo’n hyderus y bydd y rhaglen ei hun yn diogelu eu da byw, eu busnesau teuluol, a’u cymunedau?
Dywedodd y Gweinidog ei bod yn gobeithio y byddai’r rhaglen gyfan yn gweithio a bod gan bawb eu rhan i’w chwarae a’i bod yn wirioneddol bwysig bod ffermwyr yn edrych ar brynu gwybodus a’u bioddiogelwch ac os oedd ganddyn nhw bryderon, dylent siarad â’u milfeddyg eu hunain yn y lle cyntaf, ac yna Llywodraeth Cymru.
Ychwanegodd Mr Rowlands, cefnogwr brwd o’r sector amaeth:
Er fy mod yn croesawu unrhyw fesurau newydd, mae llawer o ffermwyr yr wyf wedi cwrdd â nhw yn ystod y misoedd diwethaf yn dal i bryderu’n fawr nad oes digon yn cael ei wneud i ddelio ag achos sylfaenol y broblem. Heb sôn am y straen emosiynol ar ffermwyr sy’n gweithio’n galed."
Mae’n glefyd erchyll, nid yn unig i’r anifeiliaid sy’n dioddef ond hefyd o ran yr effaith ar deuluoedd ffermio. Rwy’n gobeithio y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud mwy i’w ddileu ac yn rhoi mwy o gymorth i ffermwyr yn y Gogledd sy’n gorfod delio â TB.
