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07/07/2008
Government Says No To Badger Culling
The Government will not issue badger culling licences to prevent the spread of TB in England, the DEFRA Minister has confirmed.
Hilary Benn said in a Commons statement that "while a large-scale cull could improve the situation" it "could also make the problem worse".
The Environment Secretary said that around £20 million will be made available for vaccination, but no licences to cull badgers will be issued unless more "convincing science becomes available".
Mr Benn said at the Royal Show on Friday, that he "fully understood the devastation caused on farms around the country".
The National Farmers Union is planning a demonstration in London on Tuesday.
NFU President Peter Kendall has warned that discussions with Government on cost and responsibility sharing on animal disease would be "untenable, faced with what could only be described as an abdication of responsibility on the issue of TB".
Trevor Lawson, for the Badger Trust says that "there is no scientific, economic or practical case for culling badgers to control bovine TB".
"The most robust research, by the independent Scientific Group concluded that culling can make no 'meaningful contribution' to TB control," he said.
Mr Lawson added that "attention must be focused on cattle, the main agents of the disease".
The Badger Trust says that around 70% of cattle are never tested for TB in their lifetime.
About 4,000 herds were affected by the disease last year, mainly in the south-west of England.
(DS)
Hilary Benn said in a Commons statement that "while a large-scale cull could improve the situation" it "could also make the problem worse".
The Environment Secretary said that around £20 million will be made available for vaccination, but no licences to cull badgers will be issued unless more "convincing science becomes available".
Mr Benn said at the Royal Show on Friday, that he "fully understood the devastation caused on farms around the country".
The National Farmers Union is planning a demonstration in London on Tuesday.
NFU President Peter Kendall has warned that discussions with Government on cost and responsibility sharing on animal disease would be "untenable, faced with what could only be described as an abdication of responsibility on the issue of TB".
Trevor Lawson, for the Badger Trust says that "there is no scientific, economic or practical case for culling badgers to control bovine TB".
"The most robust research, by the independent Scientific Group concluded that culling can make no 'meaningful contribution' to TB control," he said.
Mr Lawson added that "attention must be focused on cattle, the main agents of the disease".
The Badger Trust says that around 70% of cattle are never tested for TB in their lifetime.
About 4,000 herds were affected by the disease last year, mainly in the south-west of England.
(DS)
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