Farmer handed £34,332 court bill after bovine tuberculosis risk

More than 150 cattle were moved onto land farmed by JD Pickford and Sons in the Staffordshire Moorlands – despite TB movement restrictions being in place and no special licences being sought.

Birmingham Crown Court heard how the family farm - run by farmer Mark Pickford - was affected by a TB ‘breakdown’ for almost six years – the 38th longest TB breakdown on a farm in England.

It resulted in the 11th highest compensation payout in England – almost £450,000 – after cattle found to be TB ‘reactors’ during testing had to be slaughtered. More than 370 cattle were involved.

Bovine TB was first detected on the farm in December 2009 and a notice restricting cattle movements on and off the premises was issued. Cattle were only allowed to be moved if special licences were granted for individual animals.

A further notice was issued in 2011. While a number of movement licences were applied for, no further applications were made after October 2013.

But the court heard cattle were moved onto the farm between March 2014 and May 2015 despite concerns being raised by Staffordshire County Council and reminders of restrictions being sent.

Now 54-year-old Pickford, of Kniveden Farm, Mount Road in Leek, has admitted five offences under Cattle Identification Regulations and two under the Tuberculosis (England) Order 2007.

He failed to register the deaths of 197 cattle with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) within seven days – a legal requirement under the same regulations.

He also gave incorrect information while applying for 14 cattle passports between July 2010 and June 2014 and used an identification tag which had already been used on another animal.

He was fined £14,332 in total and was ordered to pay £20,000 costs.

Pickford was described in court as a ‘hardworking farmer desperate to run his business successfully’.

Judge Richard Bond told the defendant: “You have demonstrated a disregard for the legislation. You had been told by the authorities not to do it.

“You were putting profit above animal welfare. This was a milking herd and you needed a certain amount of cattle at your farm to provide a certain amount of milk.

“Farmers have a huge degree of responsibility to ensure they comply with regulations. You ran roughshod.”

Following the case, county council leader Philip Atkins said: “This fortunately is a rare case as the vast majority of livestock owners in Staffordshire act responsibly and play an important part in the rural economy.

“The failure to comply with disease control measures posed a significant risk to the effective control of bovine TB on this holding. Deliberate evasion of TB restriction measures would undoubtedly be carried out for selfish business purposes. He has put profit before animal welfare.

“This disease is having a devastating impact on the farming community. His actions are likely to have contributed to the duration and magnitude of this TB breakdown at a significant cost to the taxpayer. In addition, he increased risks to other livestock keepers and wildlife by ignoring important TB controls.”

By Kerry Ashdown