The NFU has today met with Rt Hon Lord Benyon, Minister of State for Defra, to stress the need for the government’s continued bovine TB (bTB) eradication strategy to be based on sound scientific evidence.

The call comes a month after a new scientific paper demonstrated the effectiveness of including badger culling as part of a holistic strategy to help eradicate bTB from England¹.

The Birch Review² shows further evidence that bTB in herds can be reduced by 56% in areas where there has been four years of culling and follows the independent Godfray review³ recommending wildlife control as an important part of the current TB eradication strategy.

NFU Deputy President Tom Bradshaw said: “I’d like to thank the Minister for meeting with us to hear how bTB continues to have a huge and devastating impact on thousands of farming families. The emotional, mental, and financial strain caused by this terrible disease is enormous.

“The current strategy, which includes wildlife control, is based on scientific research that shows a significant reduction of bTB in cattle. The recent Birch paper shows further evidence that bTB in herds can be reduced by more than 50% in areas where there has been four years of culling. This is a strategy that is working which is why we were so concerned to hear reports that Shadow Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner says a Labour government will not include culling within its strategy to make England bTB free.

“Bovine TB should not be a political issue; it is a disease that affects the lives of farming families and their cattle herds on a day-to-day basis. We have a joint ambition with government to be bTB free in England by 2038, and we must keep the policies in place to combat this disease, following the current science-led and successful strategy that shows wildlife control is working to significantly reduce bTB in cattle.

“Cattle vaccination trials are underway, and a workable vaccine for cattle would be a significant tool to have as part of a range of measures to control bTB, if proved successful in the field. But we’re not there yet and while we wait, we mustn’t become complacent with this disease. We must keep all of the tools that have been proven to work available.

“We will continue to work with all political parties to ensure the importance of this scientific evidence is understood, to enable a future we all want; a country with a TB free status.”

1. Policies to eradicate bTB are different in Wales than they are to England because it is a devolved issue. Culling is not part of the Welsh strategy, where bTB has cost on average £25,000 to each farming business in the last 12 months. Read NFU Cymru’s latest survey on the impact of bTB in Wales here.
2. The Birch paper is analysis by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, published in September 2023. It evaluates the effectiveness of the bTB strategy in England and is in the process of being peer reviewed. Read the paper.
3. The Godfray review looked at the Government’s 25 year bTB strategy and was published in 2018. Read the review.

• NFU Deputy President Tom Bradshaw met with Lord Benyon on an NFU member’s farm in Kent. The farm is part of the ongoing cattle vaccination trials.