Farmers around the country will learn this afternoon whether officials will keep trying to eradicate the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis outbreak or move to managing its spread.
Central Otago sheep and beef operator and "unofficial mayor of Wedderburn," Stu Duncan caught up with The Country's Jamie Mackay to give hisopinion on which way the Government should go.
"I think they definitely continue down the path of eradication ... we don't want to say we should've tried harder two or three years down the road," says Duncan.
Eradication has meant the culling of thousands of cows, especially in the dairy industry. Once a dairy farmer is in a position to consider restocking after a cull, finding replacements is going to be a major issue says Mackay.
Duncan agrees, saying farmers will have to start "at the bottom end," which will put a lot of pressure on stock, but he believes that comes with the territory of dealing in one industry.
"It's just the way it's gonna be, but that's just the risk of being in one industry and only having one show pony really ... these things [biosecurity risks] come along from time to time."
Also in today's interview: Stu Duncan talks about how farmers are feeling about M. bovis in Central Otago and how it is affecting farmer confidence at the sale yards.
