Speaking after the announcement, Mr Hazzard said:
“Any cross border cooperation is to be welcomed and I commend both Ministers for perusing this. Bringing an end to internal pre-movement testing in both the north and south will not only result in significant savings for our farmers here in South Down but will also take a weight off their shoulders.
“This announcement is a further reward to the department, the farmers and the industry following the incredible effort that was put in to ensuring that the north received Officially Brucellious Free status at the beginning of the month.
“Although Minister O’Neill has already put the wheels in motion to further dismantle brucellosis testing in the north it is important for South Down farmers to remember that testing for cattle moving to Britain or to other Member States, would continue in the interim.
“I applaud the Minister and her Department for taking the lead in terms of north/south cooperation and would encourage other departments follow suit, for the benefit of all of our sectors.”
