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Killing Badgers is wrong (and pointless) whether it’s legal or not”
posted on 30/09/2008

Against expert advice, the National Assembly’s Rural Affairs Minister has announced plans for a targeted Badger cull in an attempt to tackle Bovine TB, but she has delayed setting a date or picking a location in which to undertake such a cull.

Meanwhile the problem of the disease remains and, as reported in the media, farmers are taking it into their own hands by killing badgers themselves, illegally.

Lorraine Barrett said:

“My objections to the proposed Badger Cull are well known, and well rehearsed!

“A cull does not offer a sustainable solution to tackle Bovine TB which is a serious problem for cattle and cattle farmers and which has cost the taxpayer dearly – to the tune of more than £10m in compensation in this financial year alone.

“The solution lies in better animal husbandry and tighter restrictions on cattle movements, not exterminating badgers, which are just one part of the cyclic nature of wildlife in our treasured countryside”.

The disease is exacerbated by modern and intensive farming techniques, and is easily passed from cattle to cattle - but it seems to me that most farmers want to blame the Badger. Whilst badgers do play a part in this problem, the scientific evidence shows that killing them does not resolve the problem and would probably make it worse. 

Farmers who are killing badgers are breaking the law, and by doing so risk a prison sentence.

After looking at the scientific evidence, Ministers in the UK government have decided against a badger cull in England, warning that it could make the situation worse.

Lorraine Barrett AM, has condemned those acting illegally by killing badgers – and supported by many Labour Assembly Members, she has called for the Minister to revise her plans for a cull and concentrate on tackling the disease by following scientific evidence and focussing on better husbandry.