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A Conservative MP has accused the government of "bringing farmers to their knees" over its decision on badger culling.
Daniel Kawczynski on Tuesday claimed that the spread of bovine tuberculosis was "out of control", in a private members' debate at Westminster Hall.
The MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham estimated that this year around 1,600 cows would be slaughtered because of the disease in Shropshire alone.
He said that farmers in his constituency were "devastated" that there would be no cull.
Kawczynski added that he would have liked to introduce a limited cull in his area, because farms are so close to the border of Wales where a cull is to be allowed.
"I have joked to farmers that we will have to chase the badgers through to Wales, where there is a limited cull," he said.
"It is very frustrating. I would have thought it was something that government would have wanted to have devolved because it is such a controversial issue."
But environment minister Jonathan Shaw defended government, claiming that the decision was not an easy one.
Shaw admitted that many farmers would be "very disappointed" but based on evidence currently available, it had been the right decision not to introduce a cull.
"Delivering a large area cull would be difficult and need to be sustained over a number of years," he said.
But he added: "We remain open to the idea of revisiting this policy if new evidence becomes available."
Instead, Shaw stated that government would continue with its programme of vaccination. And he claimed that ministers had already spent around £8.5m on research in 2007/8 on bovine TB.
"I disagree with the assertion that the government has done little to tackle TB," Shaw said.
"Our immediate priority is to work to control the disease and prevent further spread. Once it is under control, we will seek eradication."
Part of the government's plans to tackle bovine TB included the introduction of an injectable badger vaccine.
But Shaw cast doubt over the use of this form of protection.
He stated that the badger vaccine might be available by 2010 but would be extremely costly and difficult to trap badgers to inject them.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd