Mycoplasma bovis was also a focus of our committee. The committee heard that of the 260 herds identified in New Zealand with the disease present, 251 of those herds have now been cleared of M. bovis. The ministry advised that since the eradication programme began in 2018, over $180 million has been paid out in compensation. The ministry's work to contain the disease is continuing through increased surveillance and tracking activities, and the National Animal Identification and Tracing system is a key part of this. The committee was pleased to hear that significant efforts have been made to eradicate M. bovis, but ongoing challenges are faced. 