title: Developing a risk-based trading scheme for cattle in England: farmer perspectives on managing trading risk for bovine tuberculosis.
abstract: This paper examines farmer attitudes towards the development of a voluntary risk-based trading scheme for cattle in England as a risk mitigation measure for bovine tuberculosis (bTB). The research reported here was commissioned to gather evidence on the type of scheme that would have a good chance of success in improving the information farmers receive about the bTB risk of cattle they buy. Telephone interviews were conducted with a stratified random sample of 203 cattle farmers in England, splitting the interviews equally between respondents in the high-risk area and low-risk area for bTB. Supplementary interviews and focus groups with farmers were also carried out across the risk areas. Results suggest a greater enthusiasm for a risk-based trading scheme in low-risk areas compared with high-risk areas and among members of breed societies and cattle health schemes. Third-party certification of herds by private vets or the Animal and Plant Health Agency were regarded as the most credible source, with farmer self-certification being favoured by sellers, but being regarded as least credible by buyers. Understanding farmers' attitudes towards voluntary risk-based trading is important to gauge likely uptake, understand preferences for information provision and to assist in monitoring, evaluating and refining the scheme once established.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Little
authors.affiliation: ADAS UK Ltd, Pendeford House, Pendeford Business Park, Wobaston Rd, Wolverhampton WV9 5AP, UK.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wheeler
authors.affiliation: ADAS UK Ltd, Pendeford House, Pendeford Business Park, Wobaston Rd, Wolverhampton WV9 5AP, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Edge
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003132:Commerce / Q000379:methods*; D004739:England; D000067565:Farmers / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016730:Program Development; D036301:Qualitative Research; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014380:Tuberculosis, Bovine / Q000517:prevention & control*; D035141:Voluntary Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: Biosecurity; Bovine tuberculosis; Cattle; Disease control; Risk-based trading