Mycoplasma bovis: Group asks MPI to focus on 'legacy cases'

Photo / File

M. bovis cases that have plagued central South Island farmers for a long time will be sorted within 60 days.

That was one of the outcomes from a meeting of the Waimate-Waitaki Mycoplasma Bovis Advisory Group in August.

Waimate Mayor Craig Rowley said the meeting was attended by MPI staff from Wellington as well as local representatives, plus Federated Farmers, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, and DairyNZ personnel.

The group asked the ministry to focus on ''legacy cases'' - dating from the early days of the disease outbreak, which was first confirmed in New Zealand in July 2017.

Ministry M. bovis response director Geoff Gwyn told the meeting there were six such cases still on the books.

Waimate Mayor Craig Rowley. Photo / File

He gave an assurance four of the six would be ''cleared up within the next 60 days'', Rowley said.

The group was also working on getting decision-making approved at a local level, rather than waiting for head office consent.

Ministry group member Peter Bodeker would be authorised to approve operational costs in the region, Rowley said.

However, all compensation claims would still need to be made at a national level.

Rowley said he was delighted with the group's progress.

''The meeting went very, very well.''