Badger Cull Protest

Thanks Littlewid, WS and PPH for all the links. It seems the government aren't listening to the facts nor the opinions of plenty of farmers. Thankfully lots of well known people are still fighting for the badgers and keeping this in the news.

Lai

I agree Lai. Charles Moore in LW's Telegraph link, would do better to read Scientific facts, instead of Fairy Stories, it's clear from all the evidence that he's living on Fantasy Island. The farmers who think this will solve the problem, are also ingnoring all the evidence, and by taking this route they are putting off solving the problem on a permanent basis, and storing an even worse situation for their own generations who follow them into farming. As a country lad who's helped out on farms, and seen the devastation that caused by things like foot, and mouth, I can well understand how the farmers feel, but culls are not the answer, as the scientists say. If they were, and it could be proved that culls, even taking out Badger of twice the number proposed, would result in a Cattle, and Badger free population then I would support it, but it wont, so the culls should be stopped now.
WS

a bit of a 'lighter note' from the Team Badger team on FB

As a Welsh girl I for one would know my family would welcome them with open arms

http://www.newsbiscuit.com/2012/10/14/millions-of-badger-refugees-flood-across-welsh-border/

Thanks PPH. I love the photo of all those badgers.

Lai

Waiting here in Wales with supplies tents, and bedding.
Thanks for the link PPH
WS

WS - I would be too!

Lai

Thanks Doogs. This was always going to divide those who agree and those who don't - an interesting selection of viewpoints.

Thanks for the link.

Lai

Some good news - the House of Commons will debate the cull on 25th October.

http://www.brianmay.com/whatsnew.html

Lai

Lets hope they take notice of scientific advice at last.
WS

WS but I somehow doubt it. I would be another massive U turn for the Government, but we can hope that commonsense prevails.

Lai

Badger Trust -

ANOTHER BLOW FOR BADGER KILLING PLANS

http://www.badgertrust.org.uk/_Attachments/Resources/727_S4.pdf

also 38 degrees Stop the badger cull - easy link to email your MP before the debate on Thursday.

https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/page/speakout/stop-the-badger-cull?source=twitter-link

Lai

Badger cull to be delayed as Tories take another U-turn

Environment secretary expected to announce decision amid concerns about the cost and effectiveness of the scheme


http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/oct/22/badger-cull-plans-major-setback?CMP=twt_gu

and from the BBC.
Announcement due on badger cull

The government is to make a statement to Parliament on the proposed cull of of thousands of badgers in England, amid reports it will delay the scheme.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20039697

Lai

Thats great news Lai thanks if it's true. I do'nt mind the Government making U Turns if they get the final decisions right. Hopefully they'll now concentrate on scientific advice on how to solve the problem properly. It will give more time for Badgers to be vacinated, and also for research into perfecting a test that will differenciate between wether Cattle have been infected with TB, or have had a TB vacination which is the problem with the EU accepting vacination of Cattle, as at the moment there's no test that will do that.

WS
Ps Lai, I have changed the Badger link on the scrool to the 38% link. Dont know if its still going to be used if they announce a U Turn ?

Just listened to Owen Paterson, Environment Secretary making a statement to the House of Commons on Parliament live. The cull will go ahead next summer, many reasons given why and yes they are still working towards a vaccine.

Probably best to wait to the news tonight and papers tomorrow for the full update but it's a start

Thanks WS - I am sure 38 Degrees will stay active as will the RSPCA and the Badger Trust.

Lai

Doogs. I am sure the pressure will keep on and its great that in the last 2 days over 10,000 people have written to their MP!

Lai

I've just received an email from my MP (who is pro cull) saying

Knowing of your interest in the badger cull, I thought you would like to see a copy of what the Secretary of State had to say today in the House of Commons.

Best wishes,

Tony Baldry



1
Bovine TB and Badger Control
23 October 2012
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Owen Paterson): I am delighted that my presence has received such a welcome.
Bovine TB is the most pressing animal health problem in the UK. The importance of the epidemic for our cattle farmers, their families and their communities cannot be overemphasised. This was once a disease isolated to small pockets of the country; it has now spread extensively through the west of England and Wales. The number of new cases has doubled every nine years. Last year, TB led to the slaughter of 26,000 cattle in England at a cost of nearly £100 million. In the past 10 years, bovine TB has cost the taxpayer £500 million. It is estimated that this will rise to £1 billion over the next decade if the disease is left unchecked. The task of managing bovine TB and bringing it under control is difficult and complex. The Government are committed to using all the tools at their disposal and to continuing to develop new ones as a package of measures to tackle the disease.

In high-risk areas, herds are tested annually and any cattle that test positive are slaughtered. Restrictions on cattle movements have been further strengthened to reduce the chance of disease spreading from cattle to cattle. Only last week, we announced plans for a new surveillance testing regime and stricter cattle movement controls. We also continue to look at ways to improve the testing of cattle for TB. Research in this country over the past 15 years has demonstrated that cattle and badgers can transmit the disease to each other; culling badgers can lead to a reduction of the disease in cattle if it is carried out over a large enough area and for a sufficient length of time. That is why we believe that, based on the best available evidence, culling badgers to control TB can make a significant contribution. It is crucial that we get this right. The National Farmers Union has taken the lead on behalf of the farming industry to plan and organise the pilot culls. It has been working tirelessly over the past few months, signing up farmers and landowners in the pilot areas and ensuring that contractors are property trained. I have been immensely impressed by the effort, commitment and determination that have been demonstrated by farmers in the two pilot areas. I am also most grateful to the police in the two areas for their support. The exceptionally bad weather this summer has put a number of pressures on our farmers and caused significant problems. Protracted legal proceedings and the request of the police to delay the start until after the Olympics and Paralympics have meant that we have moved beyond the optimal time for delivering an effective cull. We should have begun in the summer. In addition to these problems, the most recent fieldwork has revealed that badger numbers in the two areas are significantly higher than previously thought, which only highlights the scale of the problem we are dealing with.
2
Evidence suggests that at least 70% of the badgers in the areas must be removed. This is based on the results of the randomised badger culling trial so that we can be confident that culling will reduce TB in cattle. Despite a greatly increased effort over the past few days and weeks, the farmers delivering this policy have concluded that they cannot be confident that it will be possible to remove enough badgers based on these higher numbers and considering the lateness of the season. It would be wrong to go ahead if those on the ground cannot be confident of removing at least 70% of the populations. Today I have received a letter from the president of the NFU, on behalf of the companies co-ordinating the culls, explaining why they do not feel that the culls can go ahead this year and requesting that they be postponed until next summer. In these circumstances, it is the right thing to do, and as they are the people who have to deliver this policy on the ground and work within the science, I respect their decision. I have placed a copy of the letter in the Library of both Houses. By starting the pilots next summer, we can build on the work that has already been done and ensure that the cull will conform to the scientific criteria and evidence base. I know that this will be very disappointing for many, particularly those farmers in the two pilot areas, but I fully support the decision of the NFU to delay the start of culling operations. I must emphasise that there is no change to the Government’s policy We remain absolutely committed to it, but we must ensure that we work with the NFU to get the delivery right.
We also remain committed to our wider TB eradication programme and to continuing to strengthen it, so that we can move towards our goal of a TB-free England. Vaccination is another tool and one that we would all like to be able to deploy more widely. Unfortunately, we are not there yet in terms of its development or practicality. If we had a viable and legal cattle vaccine, we would be using it. It will, however, be some years before this is the case and neither we nor the industry can afford to wait that long. It is for this reason that we must look at all the options. The Government are determined to tackle bovine TB by all the means available to us. Now, in the next few months, we will ensure that the pilot culls can be implemented effectively, in the best possible conditions, with the right resources. Having looked at all the evidence over many years, I am utterly convinced that badger control is the right thing to do, and indeed the higher than expected badger numbers only serve to underline the need for urgent action. I remain fully committed to working with the farming industry to ensure that the pilot culls can be delivered effectively, safely and humanely next summer. I commend this statement to the House.

Thanks for the links Lai and your post PPH, it does sound as though they are still determined to go ahead with the cull next year though. I am pleased it has been put off for now and hopefully that will give extra time for things to change in favour of the Badger and I am sure everyone will keep fighting to stop the cull, at least it has brought us and the badgers time.

littlewid-x-

Ps I have just sent an email to my MP again from the 38 degrees link and also shared on my FB page asking for people to support the Badgers,

Littlewid. We mustn't give up now, I know it's only a reprieve until next summer but perhaps with more time and more knowledge they could do a U turn on this.

Thanks PPH for the statement. I sat through 3/4 hour listening to the statement + questions on Parliament today yesterday and had hoped for more but at least it's a start.

Lai

I am seriously hoping they do a U turn Lai, so the extra time is good, Lets just hope the momentum keeps going.

I had an email from my MPs secretary or whatever you want to call him today and it just said thanks for the email and Nick Herbert likes to answer his own emails but he is a busy person and he will respond. lets see what he says but I know from previous correspondence he is pro the cull

littlewid-x-

At least you had something Littlewid, I've had a big

Lai

So the MPs have voted overwhelmingly against the cull and in favour of vaccine. Unfortunately its not a binding vote but let's hope the government sees sense

Nothing back from my MP either . Lets hope they get it right in the end
WS