A new survey asks cattle and sheep keepers to share their views on Bluetongue to support policy decision-making
Bluetongue cases have been on the rise in England in recent years, highlighting major concerns among farmers, scientists and decision-makers. While there have been no notified cases in Scotland, work carried out by researchers at The James Hutton Institute shows that the potential for disease incursions, and the measures implemented to prevent them, can impact farmers, crofters and industry workers.The voices of those affected need to be heard by policymakers to support decision-making that minimises negative impacts on the industry, while also protecting Scotland from disease incursions.
A new survey created by scientists from EPIC and The James Hutton Institute addresses this information gap and asks cattle and sheep keepers about their perceptions and concerns around Bluetongue Virus (BTV). Although the priority is to gather data from the livestock keepers in the Scottish borders, all participants from across Scotland are encouraged to complete the survey as their views are valuable to understanding the whole scenario.
Using scenario planning, the Scottish Government regularly evaluates epidemiological evidence produced by EPIC in the form of risk assessments, movement analyses, and mathematical model simulations to make decisions on disease control. While this data provides information such as the number of livestock affected by movement restrictions and the potential economic burden on government resources, decision-makers also need to understand the financial and psychological impacts on individual Scottish farmers and members of the livestock sector.
“Each survey answer will help us understand the concerns of those affected by Bluetongue, whether they are farmers, crofters or are involved in the markets.”
Since the first detection of BTV in England in 2023, EPIC scientists have been an essential bridge between farmers and decision-makers. In 2025, EPIC scientists conducted midge trapping in cooperation with farmers to provide estimates of midge-free periods in Scotland. This work has informed policymakers’ decisions on lifting certain control measures during midge-free periods. The BTV survey is another example of scientists working with farmers and crofters to generate evidence that can inform Scottish Government decisions on BTV.
Those interested in participating can access the short survey on the Qualtrics platform, and the survey details can be found on the invitation document. All answers will inform a final report, which will be shared with Scottish Government to support policy decisions and enable a better understanding of how the livestock sector sees the threat of disease incursions.
