Response to coverage on badger cull

Response to coverage on badger cull

Written by Defra Press Office

Credit: Getty Images


There was media coverage today of badger culling in national media titles, including the BBC, The Daily Mirror and The Daily Mail. These outlets reported that Professor Ranald Munro has written to Natural England stating that the badger cull has had no effect on Bovine TB in cattle and is not being properly supervised by Natural England. Professor Munro argues that some animals are likely to have suffered immense pain as a result of this control measure.

Bovine TB costs taxpayers over £100 million every year and England has the highest incidence rate of the disease in Europe. Evidence shows that badgers do transmit bovine TB to cattle and contribute to the persistence of the disease. There is no single measure that will provide an easy answer to beating the disease which is why we are pursuing a range of interventions to eradicate it, including tighter cattle movement controls, regular testing and vaccinations.

There are numerous reports on this issue, which is why we commissioned one thorough and independent review conducted by Professor Sir Charles Godfray to assess the government’s goal of eradicating the disease by 2038. The report found that the badger cull has a “modest” but significant impact on managing bovine TB. Data published in 2018 also shows a 58% reduction in the disease in Gloucestershire and 21% in Somerset after two years of culling, compared to un-culled areas.

The government recognises that it is essential that culling is humane. Licensing is not done lightly and farmers, contractors and Natural England themselves take the welfare of badgers very seriously.

Badger control operations are monitored to check their humaneness, safety and effectiveness, and a summary of findings is published annually on gov.uk. To date, operations have been assessed by Natural England’s Chief Scientist and the UK Chief Vet as being safe, effective and humane.

A Defra spokesperson said:

Bovine TB remains one of the greatest animal health threats to the UK, causing devastation for hard-working farmers and rural communities.

There is no single measure that will provide an easy answer to beating the disease. That is why we are pursuing a range of interventions to eradicate the disease by 2038, including tighter cattle movement controls, regular testing and vaccinations.

A Natural England spokesperson said:

We help to implement the badger culling policy under the direction of Defra and in line with decisions taken by ministers. We are in the process of reviewing the badger cull applications for 2019 made under that policy and will communicate decisions in due course.

One of our roles is to independently consider licence applications to cull or vaccinate badgers, and we take policy advice from Defra when deciding if the activity will deliver effective disease control. Licensing is not done lightly and those involved in the cull - farmers, contractors and Natural England staff - take the welfare of badgers very seriously.

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[milkloss]

I think it is a good response. Well done.