THE debate on whether to shift the footrot management program from control to eradicate is back in the spotlight again after industry representatives of the Footrot Management Committee met with the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) last week.
At the meeting, WAFarmers presented a policy to DAFWA indicating that its members preferred a footrot eradication program to a control program.
A change to an eradication program is backed by the WA Stud Merino Breeders Association.
According to WAFarmers wool section vice president and member of the committee Ed Rogister, woolgrowers have indicated that they don't want a control program.
"The footrot control program was not supposed to be a never-ending issue," he said.
"We've nearly got it nailed, let's get the last little bit with an eradication program."
A DAFWA spokesperson said for more than 50 years up until 2006 there had been an eradication program in place and many of the severe virulent strains of footrot were eradicated.
In 2006, the sheep industry-based Footrot Eradication Committee, including WAFarmers representatives, reviewed the prospects of eradication of virulent footrot from WA and concluded it was not technically feasible and continuing the program was not justified economically.
Currently it is estimated that 26 properties have virulent footrot present on-farm but according to abattoir surveillance the estimated prevalence of infected flocks in the state is around one per cent or closer to 60 flocks.
"The difficulty is in detecting the remaining infected flocks as these are caused by less severe strains of the bacteria that farmers don't recognise and hence report the presence of the infection," a Department spokesperson said.
In what may be the heart of the issue, under the current control program, producers found with virulent footrot do not have to eradicate it from their properties.
"The Footrot Control Program, endorsed by the industry-based Footrot Management Committee, quarantines the known infected flocks to prevent spread of infection," the spokesperson said.
"These farmers are given the option to either eradicate or to control the infection."
Belmont Park stud principal Malcolm Edward who attended the footrot meeting, said he was frustrated with the program's stagnant status.
"The program seems to be an on-going cheque to the department," he said.
"The audited figures for the program's costings aren't there, so we can't do a comparison on a control versus an eradication program."
Part of the problem lies with who is willing to pay the amount to switch to an eradication scheme, estimated around the $1.2 million mark.
Once eradication is successful, WAFarmers believes farmers will need to be paid for surveillance.
"As an association we are willing to accept to pay a fair and equitable contribution to an eradication scheme," Mr Rogister said.
"The problem here is the mix between private and public good, what the government wants to contribute and what the industry wants to contribute."
Mr Rogister said concerns about the Footrot Control Program were voiced at the WAFarmers conference last year.
The Footrot Management Committee has asked for a summary of the reasons eradication of all S-virulent strains of the footrot bacteria cannot be achieved, and this will be provided to the committee later this week.
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