Mike Hall MP

Labour Party | Weaver Vale

Mike Hall MP calls for a halt to the proposed Badger Cull

TB rates in cattle declined significantly in the first half of 2006. Despite this decrease some farmers are pressing the Government to sanction a cull of badgers.

If TB is once again on the increase in cattle, then the cause of that spread is cattle to cattle infection. Poor farming practices and inadequate testing are to blame.

In 2006 the Government gave a commitment that any decision to allow badger culling would be on a sound scientific and practical foundation.

All the evidence now available including the results of the Krebs Trials demonstrates that badgers are responsible for less than 20% of bovine TB outbreaks. These results also show that where badger culling takes place there is a 29% increase in bovine TB. The Government’s Independent Scientific Group Report, on its ten year study costing £50m, found that killing badgers:

• Did not significantly reduce TB in cattle
• Emphasis on reducing bovine TB should be directed at the cattle herds themselves
• The cost would be forty times the benefit

The Government should learn the lessons of Foot and Mouth and Blue Tongue and produce quicker TB testing, more TB testing particularly before moving cattle, better cattle hygiene and immediate removal of infected cattle.

Mike Hall MP said:-

“I have written on numerous occasions to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs challenging the need to cull badgers in an attempt to limit TB in cattle

“The answer is not a cull of badgers against scientific advice and at great waste of tax payer’s money. I urge DEFRA in the strongest terms to reject the call for a badger cull.”