CORNWALL BADGER RESCUE CORNWALL BADGER RESCUE
& BROCK WEBSITE
News
To Badger Group Chairs,
You will all have heard the announcement by Hilary Benn last Monday.
This
confirmed the highly publicised leak given to the BBC on Friday. I am
sure
you will all agree that this is a huge step forward but we must remain
cautious, it is good news but we still have many battles on our hands
before we win the war.
I would like all Badger Groups to write a short note to Hilary Benn to
thank him for having the courage to make the right decision despite the
enormous pressure from the farming unions. We are pleased that he has
made
the decision based on sound science. I have written to thank him on
behalf
of Badger Trust.
You will no doubt have heard about the threats from some of the farming
community, such as non co-operation, no discussions with government, not
allowing tb testing, and of course the threat of taking the law into
their
own hands and killing badgers. This is a very real threat, and there is
plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that this is already happening.
With this in mind I urge you all to be vigilant and check setts in the
countryside to obtain evidence to show they are active in case the worst
happens. You will need this evidence in any court, or we may need it
collectively to make a case to the Police and Government. We may have
the
law on our side, but it is difficult to get convictions. Many of our
opposition have been saying it's the badgers' fault for so long now,
that
they do actually believe it, as fervently as we believe the opposite.
You may also have heard many Conservative MP's disagreeing with the
decision, and calling vigorously for badgers to be killed. At the moment
it
seems very likely that they will win the next election, if so they will
certainly want to introduce badger culling. We will attempt to educate
these ministers, but it will be difficult.
The situation in Wales is of course different. After a lot of
correspondence from our solicitors to the Welsh Assembly Government
(WAG),
it was clear that, as they admitted, there was no announcement to kill
badgers, just an intent to look into the possibility of a pilot project
in
an unknown area in Wales. In view of this, and as advised by our
solicitors, our Judicial Review action is on hold. The process did
produce
some useful information, though.
Badger Trust will be having meetings to discuss our next steps, but in
the
meantime please be vigilant and report any suspicious badger deaths or
active setts becoming empty.
I should like to thank all Groups for the tremendous support you have
already given and will, I am sure, continue to give in the future. If we
all continue to pull together we shall remain a strong team committed to
the conservation of badgers within the UK. Public sympathy is with us
and I
feel will continue to grow, particularly if illegal persecution
increases.
I will keep you informed of any developments.
Dave Williams
Chairman
EXCLUSIVE: UK calves boycotted after Holland is infected with TB
15/07/2008 15:30:00The calf export industry has been thrown into turmoil after British
calves infected with bovine TB were exported to Holland.
Dutch farmers are boycotting cattle from the UK after 27 farms in
Holland were placed under TB restrictions and 12 cattle tested positive
for the disease.
The calves were traced after reactors were found on a British farm which
exported the animals in May.
The farms involved contacted DEFRA immediately, who traced the cattle
and informed the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture.
Farmers in the country, which had been free from the disease since 1999,
have reacted angrily after they were only told this week about the
infection.
The Dutch Farmers Union told Farmers Weekly that traders and farmers had
now enforced their own commercial suspension of imports.
"There's no official decision over an export ban, but farmers and
dealers have made a commercial decision to stay away from cattle
imported from risk areas," Frans Van Dongen, DFU director of
international affairs, said.
"But you can't sell UK calves in the Netherlands at the moment. People
are too afraid. They want to know what the risks are."
The news is a blow to UK farmers who have worked to rebuild the calf
export trade after a trading ban was lifted in December following last
year's foot-and-mouth outbreak.
In 2007, 64,000 calves were exported from the UK. Of those, 42% went to
the Netherlands.
It will also anger farmers who are critical of the government's policy
over controlling bovine TB.
Kim Haywood, National Beef Association chief executive, said the
situation was a "catastrophe" for the calf export industry.
"Export agents have had enough, they have lost millions of pounds
already," she said
"If this builds momentum in Europe the consequences could be dire. It
would be the end of the trade.
"The government's inability to deal with the disease has resulted in
potential export bans similar to BSE which we spent years trying to
resolve."
* Benn rules out badger culling*
For immediate release: 16.00 7 July 2008
The Badger Trust today warmly welcomed the Government's new package of measures to control bovine TB in cattle. Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment, told the House of Commons that even large scale culling of badgers only produced "marginal benefits" and that whilst a prolonged cull over even larger
areas "might work, it might also not work".
He therefore concluded: "I do not think that it would be right to take this risk." in addition, the Secretary of State has decided to make TB vaccination a priority and he intends to establish a "Bovine TB Partnership Group" with the industry. Mr Benn told MPs that the burden of TB control falls most heavily on farmers and that whilst it would be possible to tighten cattle measures still further, this would come at a cost. The Partnership Group will therefore be able to decide whether or not there should be further cattle controls and other measures to control the disease.
Mr Benn concluded that: "Our best chance is to work together." Trevor Lawson, for the Badger Trust, responded: "We are delighted that Hilary Benn has based his decision on sound science. The Government and the farming industry can now move forwards together in controlling the disease in a way which supports rather than harms the industry. Eradication is a long way off, but the science clearly shows that control is rapidly within our grasp, provided that the farming unions are prepared to work towards it."
However, the Badger Trust criticised Conservative spokesman James Paice for claiming that Mr Benn had "gone against the advice of the ISG" and for claiming that PCR - the Polymerase Chain Reaction - could be used to "target" diseased badgers.
Trevor Lawson said: "The Secretary of State has not gone against the advice of the ISG at all. It advised him that badger culling can make 'no meaningful contribution' to bovine TB control. Furthermore, Mr Paice should be well aware - because we showed him the research paper on 31 January 2006 - that the Veterinary Laboratories Agency has ruled out PCR as an effective test for TB in badgers[1]. This test is even ruled out by the researchers who have been working on it, including Dr Orin Courtenay at the University of Warwick who tells the Badger Trust that 'the application of this technology could only really be used for detecting BCG after a vaccine trial'. "Mr Paice appears not to have grasped the scientific evidence and it is lamentable that he seems so determined to kill badgers in spite of the overwhelming evidence that this will not help the situation."
ENDS
*Former chief scientist "isolated" on badger culling for bovine TB*
The Badger Trust has welcomed the claim by Lord Krebs that Professor Sir David King is "really isolated" in his view that badger culling should be used to control bovine TB in cattle. Lord Krebs, who devised the trials which concluded that badger culling could make "no meaningful contribution to bovine TB control in Great Britain", says that in addition to himself, Professor King's predecessor, Lord May, and his successor, Professor Beddington, agree that badger culling is "not the answer" for bovine TB control.
Lord Krebs told Radio 4's Today programme on 4 July that Professor King is "really isolated"[1].
Trevor Lawson, for the Badger Trust, commented: "Farming unions claim that the scientific community is split on the issue of badger culling. In fact, with the exception of Professor King, it is united in its view that badger culling is not the answer.
"This overwhelming body of sound scientific opinion means that the farming industry can move forwards with Government in tackling bovine TB with improved cattle testing and biosecurity. We are confident
that with proper investment, Government will be able to rapidly reverse the bovine TB problem, bringing relief to farmers and their families."
ENDS
For further information, contact Trevor Lawson on 07976 262388.
1. Krebs, J. (2008), Today, Radio 4, 4 July 2008: "But one thing I should say is, in relation to what Sir David said, is all the experts who have looked into this really agree that culling is not the answer. The authors of the paper that Sir David cites agree that culling is not the answer, his predecessor Lord May and his successor, Professor Beddington, this Government's chief scientist also agree that it is not the answer. So Sir David is really isolated in his view."
*Cattle testing and biosecurity is cheaper than badger culling for bovine TB, says Lord Krebs*
For immediate release: 11.00am 19 June 2008
A badger cull to control bovine TB would involve the extermination of at least 170,000 badgers: well over half the UK population, Lord Krebs has warned.
But in an important Opinion feature in Science in Parliament[1], he says that "improved [cattle] testing and incentives to keep badgers away from cattle would cost less and be at least as likely to work".
Lord Krebs produced the report[2] which led to ten years of badger culling trials that ended in 2007. The Independent Scientific Group
(ISG) which delivered the trials concluded in June 2007 that badger culling could make "no meaningful contribution" to bovine TB control in Great Britain[3].
But in October 2007, the then chief scientific advisor to the Government, Professor David King, claimed that badger culling could be effective[4]. But Professor King failed to consider the practicalities and costs of badger culling and Lord Krebs, in his latest article, notes that Professor King's group was "smaller ...
with less expertise, meeting for a day".
The Badger Trust has also today released a set of minutes obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, agreed by Professor David King and the ISG. In the minutes, Professor King acknowledges the massive logistical hurdles that need to be overcome if badger culling is to make any contribution to bovine TB control[5].
Professor King "confirmed that badger culling would have to be undertaken competently and sustained for a minimum period of four years over a land area of at least 265km2 ... Sir David confirmed that conducting badger culls simultaneously over such an area would have to be an essential element of any culling programme ... All present agreed ... that culling conducted over short time periods or in an uncoordinated manner would be very likely to cause detrimental effects".
The latest analysis of the badger culling trial data shows that annual culling would only prevent 12 out of an expected 130 TB outbreaks across 125km2 over six years[6].
Trevor Lawson, for the Badger Trust, commented: "Professor King's hasty report was an uncosted and impractical policy proposal. Now, Lord Krebs has effectively devalued it further, pointing out the lesser expertise of Professor King's group and setting ten years' worth of research against a meeting that lasted for just a day.
"Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment, should reject Professor King's wholly inadequate contribution to this important debate and accept the ISG's advice that badger culling can make no meaningful contribution to bovine TB control. Bovine TB is primarily spread by cattle both to each other and to wildlife. Resources can be focused on cattle and biosecurity far more efficiently and we welcome the fact that this has been recognised by Lord Krebs."
ENDS.
*/For further comment, contact Trevor Lawson, Badger Trust spokesman, /*
*/on 07976 262388/*.
1. Krebs, J. (2008), Opinion, Science in Parliament Vol 65, No 2, 2008
2. Krebs, J. et al, Bovine tuberculosis in cattle and badgers, MAFF, 1997.
3. Bourne, F.J., et al., Bovine TB: The Scientific Evidence.
Independent Scientific Group Reports, 2007. Final Report.
4. King, D., Bovine tuberculosis in cattle and badgers. A report by the chief scientific adviser, 2007.
5. [See attached document]: GofS (2007), Note of a meeting to discuss badgers and bovine TB in cattle, Thursday 13 December 2007, Government Office For Science.
6. Jenkins HE, et al., The effects of annual widespread badger culls on cattle tuberculosis following the
cessation of culling, Int J Infect Dis (2008), doi:10.1016/j.ijid. 2008.04.001
Badgers ‘would be reintroduced after cull’
Jun 19 2008 by Andrew Forgrave, Daily Post
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/
BADGERS will be reintroduced to areas where they are culled as part of Wales’ bovine TB eradication programme, Elin Jones has revealed.
The rural affairs minister assured FWAG Cymru’s inaugural annual conference there were no plans to wipe out the mammal as well as the disease.
“In instigating the badger cull in any area the intention would be to reintroduce disease-free badgers so that Wales would have a disease-free wildlife population, just as we replace cattle that have been removed
because of the disease,” said Ms Jones.
She spoke as it emerged five farming union offices were daubed with slogans by protesters against a badger cull.
The graffiti, on buildings across South and West Wales, included the words, “Cull farmers, not badgers”.
FWAG conference chairman John Lloyd Jones, who chairs the Countryside Council for Wales, was applauded by farming and conservation delegates when he praised the minister for taking what he called “the first comprehensive steps towards eradicating bTB”.
Yet lawyers acting for Elin Jones say she has yet to decide whether to authorise cull licences. The apparent admission came in response to a letter before action which was sent to the minister by lawyers acting for the Badger Trust.
The letter represented the initial stage of the trust’s attempts to secure a Judicial Review of Cardiff’s decision to allow badger culls.
*"I have NOT decided to cull badgers," Elin Jones admits in Wales *
For immediate release: 16 June 2008
Lawyers acting for Elin Jones, Minister for Rural Affairs in the Welsh Assembly Government, have confirmed that she has NOT made a decision to cull badgers in Wales.
The admission comes in response to a letter before action, sent to the Minister by lawyers acting for the Badger Trust. This was the initial stage of the Badger Trust launching a Judicial Review of what was perceived by the public and the world's media as a decision to cull badgers made on 8 April, when Elin Jones told the Assembly:
"We believe that the most effective measure to address both sources of infection and cross-infection, subject to strict regulation and meeting a number of requirements, would be a targeted cull of badgers
in TB high incidence areas. To take this forward we will prioritise the establishment of an intensive action pilot in an area which has been identified as a TB hotspot."
Assembly members, the wider public and the media quite reasonably regarded this as a decision. The media consistently reported: "Badgers are to be culled in Wales" (BBC); "Badgers are to be slaughtered in Wales" (Western Mail); "Badgers must die" (The Times); "Badgers will be killed" (Press Association); and "Target badger cull go-ahead" (Farmer's Guardian). The story was reported around the world.
But in response to the letter before action, officials in the Assembly's Legal Services division have stated:
"In substance, the Ministerial statement on which the potential [Judicial Review] would be based reflects the beginning of a process as to how, if at all, particular aspects of the Welsh Assembly Government's TB Eradication Programme could be implemented. It does not authorise the culling of badgers. It does not identify any area in which the culling of badgers would be appropriate. In particular, the Ministerial statement does not involve or constitute the grant of a licence to kill any badgers under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 or any other legislation."
Trevor Lawson, for Badger Trust, commented:
"Elin Jones gave every impression that a decision had been made and that badger culling was a 'most effective' measure. Yet a decision to cull was contrary to the scientific advice that she had received, which said that killing badgers can make no meaningful contribution to bovine TB control [1].
"This letter from Elin Jones' lawyers confirms that the Welsh Assembly Government is still some way behind Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment, in assessing the bovine TB problem.
Over the next few months Mrs Jones and her staff will learn that badger culling is not practical or cost effective and is, besides, ineffective. We are confident that a badger cull will not take place in Wales. We regret that Elin Jones has not formally invited Badger Trust Cymru to meet her, so that she could explain the detail of her policy.
"Bovine TB is spread by cattle to other cattle and to wildlife. To say otherwise simply spreads confusion and doubt amongst farmers who deserve better leadership from their politicians. We hope that Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment, will not take the same ill-thought, short-term approach that has been adopted by Elin Jones.
"Mr Benn now has a clear opportunity to accept the scientific advice that he has received and reject badger culling as meaningless in the battle against bovine TB."
ENDS
For further comment, contact Trevor Lawson on 07976 262388. Steve Clark from Badger Trust Cymru can be available for TV or radio interview in Cardiff if required: 07867 673054.
The Badger Trust represents dozens of badger conservation groups across the UK, including eight in Wales which collectively form Badger Trust Cymru.
1. Minutes (20 February 2008), Meeting betwwen [sic] Minister for Rural Affairs and Professor John Bourne, Department for Rural Affairs, Cardiff.
