Defra has released information on new cross compliance rules, including stricter penalties for missed bovine TB tests.

The stricter testing regime is intended to complement other measures in the government's bovine TB eradication strategy, including the highly controversial badger culling policy, which the government and NFU maintain is necessary to tackle the 'wildlife reservoir' of bovine TB, but which expert scientists have claimed can offer "no meaningful contribution" to efforts to combat the disease.

New measures coming into effect in January 2015 will include expand the range of six-monthly surveillance tests and introduce penalties for late testing on most types of TB tests. Anyone failing to meet their testing deadline will face a loss of some of their CAP payments.

The measures follow on from a tightening of rules which came into effect in January this year, and which the environment department claims has led to a 60 per cent reduction in late tests.

Reacting to the announcement, the NFU said it was concerned that farmers who "are unable to get tests done on time for legitimate reasons" may be fined.

NFU deputy president Minette Batters said, "It is crucial for disease control that TB tests are carried out on time and the vast majority of farmers are already doing this. But… this shouldn't be used as a blunt instrument where farmers have arranged to get a test done on time but have been unable to do so for reasons beyond their control, like no vet being available or a vet cancelling an appointment."

Batters added that in cases where farmers' tests are delayed for reasons beyond their control, "it is vital that they work with the APHA to make them aware of their situation as soon as they can and to arrange a test as quickly as possible."

The updated information from Defra – which can be accessed here – also details the introduction of six-monthly TB surveillance tests in parts of Cheshire that fall within the TB Edge Area.