Introduction

1. RUMA is an alliance of farming, animal health industry, food retailing and associated groups (see annex A for current RUMA membership and officers) with the aim of promoting a co-ordinated and integrated approach to best practice in the use of medicines.

How

1. RUMA operates by providing best practice advice on the use of medicine to farmers and veterinary surgeons by publishing guidelines aimed at each of these groups and providing advice/comment on specific issues on its website ruma.org.uk. RUMA guidelines stress good farm management to reduce disease challenge and, therefore, the need to use medicines. RUMA does not support the use of medicines as a substitute for good farm management.

RUMA’s existing commitments

1. It is important for RUMA to maintain a high profile amongst farmers and vets, so that they can avail themselves of the advice on best practice use of medicines, and policy makers (e.g. Defra and the Food Standards Agency), so that they are aware of this advice. This will continue to be done by
   • keeping the RUMA website up to date and modernising its performance.
   • updating and publishing the various guidelines by using internal RUMA expertise and good will where at all possible to reduce costs.
   • auditing the effect of the guidelines as far as that is possible.
   • populating the website with position statements, factsheets and all the sort of information users would expect of an organisation speaking for the industry.
   • RUMA members regularly referring to the work of RUMA where appropriate
   • helping to support veterinary surgeons and educate farmers and others involved in the responsible use of medicines RUMA’s officers attending meetings and writing articles to publicise
     RUMA’s work.

Future work programme

1. The European Commission plans to announce proposals to amend the EU’s veterinary medicines legislation in the first quarter of 2013. Their key aims are to improve the availability of veterinary medicines and reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance. RUMA has been working since 1998 to ensure the responsible use of antimicrobials and reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance and so fully supports the Commission’s aims. So, in addition to the routine work set out above, RUMA will work to influence and prepare for the Commission’s announcement and to help the UK negotiators in their response to it. RUMA will
   • closely monitor EU discussions, proposals etc in relation to the antimicrobial issue.
   • work with EPRUMA to influence the Commission’s developing proposals.
   • brief/meet MEPs.
   • keep RUMA members up to date on developments via email and on the website.
   • as necessary, call special meetings of the Board/AMR group to assess action.
   • organise RUMA press briefings or participate in RUMA members’ press briefings.
   • RUMA’s officers attending meetings and writing articles to publicise the work of the Alliance.
   • access specialist external veterinary/public health advice.

Budget

1. RUMA is financed through fees paid by its members. These normally generate an annual income of some £16,500 which is used to meet the costs of drafting and issuing the guidelines, maintaining the website, holding meetings and general administration by the Secretary General.
2. The additional costs of the extra work outlined above are estimated to be a total of £16,000 for
   • briefing all relevant bodies in the UK – paid from regular income
   • three visits (6 nights stay) to Brussels to meet EPRUMA and/or Commission officials and to attend any relevant conferences – £2,500.
   • briefing/meeting MEPs may be partly achieved under the first bullet but an allowance of £1,000 is needed to cover additional trips.
   • keeping RUMA members up to date on developments via email and on the website. This is part of RUMA’s routine work and would be met from the normal annual income.
   • possibly calling special meetings of the Board/AMR group to assess action – room hire/refreshments – up to £1,000.
   • organise or participate in RUMA members’ press briefings. This is part of RUMA’s routine work and would be met from the normal annual income.
   • arrange individual meetings with member organisations as necessary to let them know what RUMA is doing. These meetings would be more specific to the organisation in question than the general email/website circulation – £1,000 for travel, overnight stays.
   • access to specialist external veterinary/public health advice – £2,500.
   • additional secretariat support preparing papers, liaising with UK and EU officials, EPRUMA and other advisers, arranging meetings etc – £8,000.
3. The additional income may be required for 2013 and RUMA will seek this from its reserves and external sources e.g. Defra, the Commission etc. Alternatively, the additional funding could be achieved by increasing RUMA members’ fees for one year or a one-off special payment. The RUMA Board will assess the need for additional income in subsequent years taking into account the proposals eventually made by the Commission and the need for RUMA to seek any changes to them

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