13 Jan '10

Thus say ministers Verburg and Klink, even though this decision is incomprehensible to the farmers whose goats are killed. Both ministers will send another letter to Parliament where they will again explain and substantiate the distinction between large and small-scale farms. Thus was the outcome of the Q-fever debate in Parliament this afternoon, which took place among other things on account of the decision to spare infected goats at ‘children’s farms’.

Especially the Socialist Party made clear that the decision is indigestible and they insisted on killing the infected pregnant goats at ‘children’s farms’. Other parties indicated to have difficulty with the distinction. Christian democrat Ormel pleaded to perform a risk analysis at infected (large) farms, just like it is done at ‘children’s farms’. “ Why should it not be proportionate to kill infected goats at ‘children’s farms’ when at a farm with only one infected goat a thousand animals are killed?” Ormel asked aloud. Labour party Waalkens appealed to ‘children’s farms’ to have their infected goats euthanised. Klink said that the decision to spare ‘children’s farms’ and only impose hygiene measures and separate the infected goats was taken after various advice rounds. “The risks for public health are very low”, Klink repeated. “Testing of vaginal swabs does not give us conclusive results of the level of infection and we have various measures more proportionate as alternative to culling.”

source: Levende Have