Opinion in the Welsh farming world is split over yesterday’s announcement that the Welsh government will not be pursuing culling of badgers as part of its strategy to combat bovine TB. Welsh environment minister John Griffiths announced yesterday that the government will instead support a programme of vaccinations.

Badger cull proposals were passed by the previous government last year, after an attempt to instigate culling in 2010 was halted by a court ruling, but the current Labour government put cull plans on hold after coming to power, pending a re-evaluation of the science behind culling. Yesterday, the environment minister announced that, based on the available evidence, he remains unsatisfied “That a cull of badgers would be necessary to bring about a substantial reduction in cases of TB in cattle.”   

However, a range of cull supporters have criticised the government’s decision, including the CLA, British Veterinary Association, Welsh opposition parties and farming Unions. Nevertheless, the decision has popular support in Wales, where opinion polls have found the public and many farmers to be opposed to culling.

Carl Padgett, president of the BVA, condemned the government’s decision as political rather than scientific. He said, "This is clearly a political decision, rather than a scientific one, and it will potentially set back our efforts to tackle this devastating disease by many years."

However, not all vets shared Padgett’s opinion; Mark Jones, veterinarian and executive director of the Humane Society UK, stated,  "At last, a genuinely science-led policy to tackle to bovine TB without slaughtering thousands of badgers, and one that will actually help to solve the problem instead of making things worse. This puts added pressure on Caroline Spelman to withdraw its disastrous plans to cull English badgers."

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Brian Walters, a spokesperson for the Farmers’ Union of Wales, accused the government of having “betrayed farmers in North Pembrokeshire.” The decision may provoke the ill will of some farmers in Wales’ Intensive Action Area, who have been subject to strict restrictions and cattle controls. However, many had said they would have opposed a cull taking place on their land.

The union spokesperson also questioned the efficacy of vaccination in combating the disease, "As far as vaccination is concerned, nothing has changed since this advice was issued twelve months ago."

Ellin Jones reaction deemed ‘grossly irresponsible’

Perhaps the most inflammatory response to the minister’s announcement yesterday was that of former environment minister Elin Jones, who gave permission for the cull before Labour came to power.  She said, "Farmers will now have to decide how best to protect their cattle and I for one would not blame them for anything they do."

However, her comments were slammed by Labour Assembly Member Rebecca Evans, who called on the Plaid Cymru leader to publicly distance herself from Ms Jones and demand a retraction for her “grossly irresponsible comments”. Police have warned that the debate over badger culling may lead to an increase in badger persecution; the animals are protected under the Bern Convention.

The Badger Trust, which also welcomed Mr Griffiths’ announcement, claimed cattle measures alone would be sufficient to combat bovine TB. The Trust is also already working with the NFU in England on vaccination trials. Badger Trust chair David Williams pointed out that the results of vaccination trials published by DEFRA and FERA in 2010 show a 74 per cent reduction in the proportion of wild badgers giving positive results to TB tests.

He went on to comment, "Cattle control measures are sufficient in themselves to eradicate this disease and were highly successful up to 1990 without killing badgers. But, in the meantime, vaccination offers quicker and more permanent benefits to cattle farmers than shooting badgers for a benefit of only 12 to 16 per cent at best over nine years at great cost to the tax payer."

The welsh environment minister yesterday said he remained committed to eradicating Bovine TB; in a press statement he said, "Bovine TB has a significant financial and social impact on farmers and the wider community in Wales. Last year alone, the Welsh government paid out just over £12m in compensation for cattle slaughtered. But I am not at present satisfied a cull of badgers would be necessary to bring about a substantial reduction in the incidence of bovine TB in cattle."

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