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A review of the 25-year strategy to tackle bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle which includes the culling of badgers has recently been announced by the Government. The independent assessment will look at the system of intervention to control the disease and give advice on improvements, but is not a review of badger culling.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has also announced a consultation on lifting the cap for the number of areas where culls can take place each year and on licensing some culling in parts of England that are at low risk of TB.
Responding to the news League Head of Policy and Research, Jordi Casamitjana, said: “We welcome the announcement of an independent review of the UK Government’s 25-year bovine TB control strategy, but we are extremely concerned and disappointed they are considering an extension of the badger cull into low risk zones in England, and on lifting the cap for the number of areas where culls can take place each year, which makes no sense at all. While such review is taking place the badger cull should stop, not be expanded.”
