We've always been in favour of voluntary measures by Government to get farmers to co-operate? For us, it's about the industry taking charge of its own destiny and keeping regulation as a last resort. Certainly, that has been the FW message on bluetongue vaccination. Our focus has been to get farmers to see the seriousness of the risk, encourage them to take responsibility by vaccinating and avoid the disease without Government having to force mandatory action.
At first, it looked as if this approach was working. From East Anglia, along the south east and right into the west country, farmers have shown great judgement in comprehensively vaccinating to create a strong firewall against bluetongue coming in from mainland Europe. But elsewhere there has been a very different picture with large areas of Wales and the north not acting collectively and prepared to take ridiculous risks with their own and other livelihoods. The reasons given range from farmers completely convinced the virus won't hit their area, through to fears that vaccinating animals puts them at risk of adverse reactions and abortions.
This week, the question is raised again - should the English and Welsh Governments follow Scotland's lead and make vaccination compulsory?
One of the arguments in favour of voluntary arrangements has always been that Government has historically got more co-operation from farmers when it is less heavy handed. Too much regulation with stiff penalties if you don't comply simply winds many farmers up.
There have been worries that there are not enough Government vets in the UK to help deliver a swift and efficient nationwide vaccination programme and the thought of Government vets turning up on farm uninvited troubles many. In France, there has been terrible spread of the disease because they have not been able to administer the vaccine quickly enough and that's in a country where action has been obligatory.
The Germans think we are crazy not to protect our livestock.
They argue that annual vaccination must be vigorously maintained for several years before anyone can talk about possible eradication and that anything less than 80 per cent of livestock protected against bluetongue means we will not control the disease.
So what do you think? Has the softer voluntary approach failed? Is mandatory vaccinating the answer in the long run? How can we get more farmers to embrace vaccination? All ideas welcome please.
Tomorrow we are expecting to hear more from the EU on whether there will be a tightening of controls against bluetongue. Read more here http://www.fwi.co.uk//Articles/2008/12/01/113320/eu-vets-set-to-decide-on-bluetongue-controls.html