Plans to end the badger cull still diving the rural community
The National Farmers' Union say an alternative still needs to be agreed
Last updated 11th Oct 2024
A West Country MP is calling for the Government's badger cull to end sooner than 'within five years', but farming groups say it should be extended if an alternative isn't ready.
Culls started in Somerset and Gloucestershire in 2013, before being extended to other areas and last year's Somerset target was to cull around 3,500 badgers.
Torbay MP Steve Darling has told us he doesn't think the culls are working, adding: "According to the official response provided by DEFRA, since 2013, approximately 41,000 badgers have been removed in cull areas that predominantly cover Devon.
"The answer highlighted that exact figures cannot be broken down by county due to the overlap of licensed culling zones, yet the scale of badger removals raises significant concerns about the policy's impact on local ecosystems and the effectiveness of the strategy in controlling bovine tuberculosis (bTB).
"The revelation that tens of thousands of badgers have been culled in Devon is deeply troubling. Not only is this a staggering number, but it also prompts serious questions about the necessity and humanity of this approach. The government's new strategy must ensure that any policy aimed at disease control is both scientifically justified and humane.”
Darling’s comments reflect growing concern among some environmentalists, animal welfare groups, and the public regarding the continued use of culling as a tool for bTB management. While DEFRA has maintained that badger culling is part of a broader disease control strategy, critics argue that the mass culling is both ineffective and ethically questionable.
Mel Squires, the Director of the National Farmers' Union in our region, says there's still no long term-plan in place, adding: "We don't have preventative medicines to address TB and ongoing we have many herds going down with ongoing breakdowns, restricting their businesses, their income and putting incredible extra strain on their families at tis time."
The Government announced a new plan to try to eradicate the disease at the end of the Summer.
A spokesperson said: "Over the past decade, TB has had a devastating impact on British livestock and wildlife. Over 278,000 cattle have been compulsorily slaughtered and over 230,000 badgers have been killed in efforts to control the disease, costing taxpayers more than ÂŁ100 million every year.
"For the first time in over a decade, the Government will introduce a new bovine TB eradication strategy working with farmers, vets, scientists and conservationists to rapidly strengthen and deploy a range of disease control measures.
"The new strategy will mark a significant step-change in approach to tackle this devastating disease, driving down TB rates and saving farmers’ livelihoods and businesses. It will use a data-led and scientific approach to end the badger cull by the end of this parliament."
The NFU's response can be found here