Door to badger culling not completely shut, says NBA

Door to badger culling not completely shut, says NBA.

The National Beef Association feels let down by Defra Secretary of State, Hilary Benn, who continues to stall over approval for cattle farmers to cull badgers in English TB hot spot areas - and is joining with other farmers’ organisations to protest against this weak decision in Smiths Square, and the Old Palace Yard, Westminster tomorrow (Tuesday July 8th) morning.  

However it was told by Mr Benn earlier today that a new-industry, government TB core group will be initiated in an effort to take the culling debate forward.
Which, it says, means that the door on culling badgers to control further TB spread has not been completely shut?

“The Association remains acutely disappointed that no immediate action on badger culling will be taken but the formation of a new core group means that cattle farmers have still got a foot in Defra’s negotiating door and must seize the chance to make the most use of it,” explained NBA chairman, Duff Burrell.
The NBA has also had an assurance that it will be told which of the four tests, the Secretary of State said, had to be passed, before badger culling could be approved, but still needs refinement.

These are:
# The practicality of culling methods.      
# The science to justify a cull.       
# Public acceptance of the cull.
# The impact of the cull on disease spread.  

“We are determined to continue to advance the very strong arguments in favour of an organised badger culling and are already looking forward to what Mr. Benn, and his officials, are going to tell us in relation to these four points,” said Mr. Burrell.

“NBA members in South West England have already put together a culling proposal covering 70 per cent of a 1400 square kilometer area which is bounded by coastal, river, and trunk road features and could immediately embark on an organised badger removal if government approved the applications for around 1,450 culling licences, so we are satisfied about our ability to deliver an effective culling programme.”

“And we have noted that former chief scientist, Professor David King, believes the postponing, yet again, of a culling operation is a mistake because it means there is no policy aimed at managing TB in badgers and as a result there will be further TB spread.""

“Nor are we convinced that the majority of the public agree with Professor John Bourne that it is socially and economically unacceptable to kill badgers”  

“And also note that Professor Bourne himself has agreed that if the cull is agreed and conducted efficiently over an area greater than 300 sq klms then there will be a noticeable reduction in TB cases among cattle.”

“Our principal worry at present is that Government is trying hard to avoid the political difficulties associated with killing badgers and as a result has decided that opting to cull badgers was a decision too difficult to make.”

“However we will be doing our best to convince it otherwise,” Mr. Burrell added.

For more information contact:

Duff Burrell, NBA chairman.   Tel. 07764 409027