Star comment: We need to look at badger cull facts
The badger culling debate continues to polarise opinion. In the eyes of some, it remains the most effective solution for halting the spread of bovine tuberculosis which is crippling many of our farmers.
To others, however, it is an unproven, inhumane and increasingly unsuccessful way of tackling the issue.
So far, the badger cull has been trialled in the counties of Somerset and Gloucestershire. Today, MPs were due to begin debating the future of the programme in a cross-party discussion, before taking a vote on whether to expand it to other parts of the country.
And based on current statistics, if an expanded cull does get the go-ahead, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson's home county of Shropshire must surely be near the front of the queue. For while incidents of bovine TB are falling in many parts of Britain, here in Shropshire the number of animals slaughtered as part of the fight against the disease is still on the rise.
Mervyn Mullard's story is a common one. He admits he has been forced to wind down his beef herd near Bishop's Castle after battling with bovine TB for six years. He reckons that, since 2007, he's lost more than 130 cows. He is just one voice among many; there are countless other local farmers who tell a similar story.
One thing is certain. Doing nothing about bovine TB is not an option. Whether the way forward is vaccination, culling, stricter farm management rules or some other form of science-led intervention, a solution has to be found.
There is no doubt that the case for the controversial badger cull has been somewhat undermined by latest figures which reveal a significant decline in the overall number of British cattle infected last year. The Government itself has admittedit would not expect to see any benefit from the cull for quite some time.
Farming minister George Eustice points out that the Government's efforts to control bovine TB – which have not simply involved culling – have kept outbreaks steady over the last 10 years. But he acknowledges that we are still nowhere near an acceptable position.
Campaigners on both sides need to take the emotion out of the debate, and crunch the issue down to facts, figures, and economics.
See also:
Shropshire cattle slaughters rise in bovine TB fight
New TB slaughter figures add fuel to badger cull debate
