New compensation rates for farmers whose herds are hit by brucellosis, will be announced later today by the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh.
The new rates, agreed between the Department and the farm organisations, will apply from next Monday, and form part of a major drive to protect Ireland's brucellosis-free status.
In the past 18 months there has been a dramatic upsurge in brucellosis infection in dairy herds especially in the Munster area. The problem was so serious that last year the Southern Health Board issued a public health warning to farming people and others dealing with infected cows.
As the number of infections rose in north Cork, Kerry, Clare and Limerick, the brucellosis-free status became endangered. To achieve this status, which allows Ireland export to all parts of the EU and to other countries without restriction, the number of infected herds has to remain below 300.
For a period late last year, this figure was almost breached and Mr Walsh imposed mandatory pre-movement testing of cows, heifers and bulls.
Since the beginning of the year there has been a steady decline in the number of herd infections and at the end of March there were 258 herds restricted and 74 herds depopulated.
In the same period, veterinary inspectors have carried out 140,000 blood tests on animals, double the number carried out in the previous year.