Tbfree Otago chairman Stephen Korteweg said the unsuccessful candidate for the southern South Island programme manager's position, Joe Bayley, had been there a long time, but he accepted the board had done what it thought was right and he supported their decision.
"That's what the board is employed to do."
He urged farmers to support the new manager, Brent Rohloff, and the programme.
Mr Korteweg acknowledged the work of Mr Bayley and his Southern Pest Management staff.
"To get where it is from where we came from, not enough praise can be given to them."
Southland Tbfree committee chairman Mike O'Brien said he also supported the new southern South Island programme manager, but with just one Tb herd infected in Southland, the control programme had been successful and the momentum needed to be maintained.
"I just feel local knowledge and experience is so important here and the stage we are at. It is a bit concerning certainly, while I accept it makes sense to combine the two areas, you do need experienced people down here who know the situation."
He did not know Brent Rohloff, the new southern South Island programme manager, but said he had his support and deserved the right to prove himself.
But he praised the efforts of vector control managers in Southland, including the current manager Dave Burgess, who he said had succeeded in getting the infection rate down to just one herd through relationships, people skills and local knowledge, which earned him the support of Southland farmers.
"In Southland there are small, hard core [Tb infection] areas where local knowledge and relationship are so important."
Mr O'Brien accepted the final decision was the AHB's.
"At the end of the day the final decision is made by the Animal Health Board and it is up to us to support it."