Badger cull decision ‘bitterly disappointing’ - NFU

13 July 2010 | By Barry Alston

NFU Cymru described today’s judgement on the Welsh Assembly’s badger cull order as a ‘bitterly disappointing set-back’.

“The Welsh Assembly Government remains committed to a bovine TB eradication strategy and the farming industry needs an early indication of the options now available to it,” said Stephen James, the union’s deputy president.

“Our expectations of Government remain undiminished - but we are disappointed that the judiciary has been able to subvert the democratic process.

“The problem in wildlife cannot just be ignored. It is not going to go away unless there is a comprehensive strategy to get rid of the disease in both cattle and badgers.

“Today’s judgement cannot be the end of the line and no stone must be left unturned in trying to find a way forward.

“Some 64 per cent of herds in the Intensive Action Pilot Area have had bovine TB in the last six years and in the absence of an integrated approach to eradication this number will only increase.

“That means this insidious disease will continue to spread through the badger population, wreck the lives of a growing number of farming families, more cattle and calves will be destroyed as a consequence of our failure to tackle the problem in its totality and more businesses will be ruined.

“Ratcheting up cattle controls while doing nothing to control TB in the badger population will not eradicate the disease and is simply not an option.”

Readers' comments (5)

  • Michael Ritchie | 13 July 2010 2:00 pm

    The judiciary has not subverted the democratic process, it has ruled that the Welsh Assembly Government tried to do something that "the democratic process" had not given it the power to do.
    That is our ultimate safeguard against dictatorship, whether you agree with individual decisions or not.

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  • Anonymous | 13 July 2010 6:24 pm

    For all our sakes - farmers included - why don't you STOP pretending that
    1) TB incidence 'can only increase' when in fact it is already dropping significantly in the cull area and throughout Wales because of long overdue cattle measures and
    2) that we don't ALL want to do something to control TB- surely enough people have said enough times that vaccination is an alternative, and almost certainly cheaper and more effective option - which does NOT involve the eradication of a native wildlife species.

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  • Phil W | 19 July 2010 1:00 am


    Quote - Anonymous | 13 July 2010 6:24 pm
    "which does NOT involve the eradication of a native wildlife species"

    Where has it been said that the Badger is to be "eradicated"

    Typical over reaction & hype !!

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  • Anonymous | 21 July 2010 10:06 am

    It seems to me that the scientific community has got people riled up again, what they don't point out is that 80% of bTB infections occur between cattle & only 20% from badgers.Whilst the badger is not perfect, it doesn't deserve the label it has. It also isn't worth the threat to the UKs biodiversity, you start with badgers, where next? Can we now start to think about vaccinating badgers?

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  • Phil W | 21 July 2010 3:25 pm


    Quote - Anonymous | 21 July 2010 10:06 am...It seems to me that the scientific community has got people riled up again, what they don't point out is that 80% of bTB infections occur between cattle & only 20% from badgers.

    So how do you explain closed herds going down with TB ???????

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