Should there be a Badger Cull in North Pembrokeshire?
The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) has agreed to a pilot cull of badgers in North Pembrokeshire and has allocated £9m over the five-year period to intensive bovine TB controls in this area. The exact location and timing of the cull is not being revealed as there is a real divide between those who think that it is the only way to stop the spread of Bovine TB, and those who believe that badgers are not responsible for the TB (some think that the badgers actually get TB from cattle). The cull is due to start at any time but keeping the time and location a secret is a way to try and dissuade activists from both sides of the argument from coming to the area. More information can be found on the following websites:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/science_and_environment/10227556.stm
http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/ahw/disease/bovinetuberculosis/?lang=en
Evidence in favour of the cull includes statistics such as over 12,000 cattle being slaughtered for TB in 2008, with 68% of these in the west Wales area. By the end of August 2009 over 8000 had been killed, compared with 7000 in the same period of 2008. In 1997 less than 700 cattle were slaughtered. The cost to the taxpayer in compensation to farmers has increased from £1.3m in 1999-2000, to just below £25m in 2008-9. If the disease continues to escalate at the present rate and nothing is done, it could exceed £80 million by 2014. There have a number of similar pilot culls in other areas in the UK in recent years that have provided positive results in the reduction of Bovine TB.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/atoz/tb/stats/index.htm
Evidence against culling comes from organisations such as the RSPCA and the Badger Trust who are not in favour of badger culling. They say that scientific evidence proves culling is not the answer. A statement says ‘A 10-year study by the Independent Scientific Group (ISG) on TB in cattle, which cost some £50 million pounds and the lives of nearly 11,000 badgers, actually found that culling carries the risk of increasing the spread of the disease.’ A study of badgers found dead in Wales conducted by WAG and published in January 2007 found that seven out of eight badgers tested negative for the disease.
http://www.rspca.org.uk/search?searchKey=Badger+Cull
There are convincing arguments both for and against both Badger Culling and whether the badgers do spread TB in cattle. It is a very controversial and emotive rural topic and opinion is divided on what the best and most effective solution will be and it is now dividing communities. It is expected that there will be activists from both sides in North Pembrokeshire who all have strong feelings about how this issue should be resolved.
What do you think?
Do you have sympathy with the farmers who have to go through upsetting and costly procedures to eradicate TB in their cattle?
Do you think the evidence proves badgers spread TB in cattle, so should there be a cull?
Is there enough evidence to support the development and use of vaccines?
How does Wales compare to other countries and areas of the UK that have a problem with bovine TB?