Listen: Mycoplasma bovis - 'treat every neighbour as a potential source'

Federated Farmers' Vice President Andrew Hoggard. Photo / Supplied

Andrew Hoggard has spoken to farmers from around the world about Mycoplasma bovis and says they all agree it's a "bloody horrible disease".

"They struggle to deal with it. If we can get rid of it and not have to deal with it we're going to be so much better off than trying to control it."

The vice president of Federated Farmers told The Country although he is hopeful the cattle disease can be controlled, he is concerned about the recent spread of M. bovis to the North Island.

Farmers are anxious to know which farms are affected by the disease but Andrew says that due to the difficult process of tracing the disease it is safest to "treat every neighbour as a potential source."

Also in today's interview: Andrew Hoggard talks about the plausibility of a Zero Carbon Act.

Listen below: