Following on from our last posting, which reported a significant drop of 20 per cent in cattle slaughterings, this week's press is reporting another bit of good news for long suffering cattle farmers.
Now that Doris has taken his wife out of the cabinet office, and a new broom has cleared the green blob from Defra, at last a bit of common sense is surfacing.
Farmers Guardian headline indicates a Ministerial 'rethink on ending culling'.
If you remember, George Eustice was quoted widely as saying 'we can't keep shooting badgers indefinitely'. Obviously his opinion didn't extend to slaughtering our sentinel tested cattle indefinitely and in greater numbers. But let that pass.
Now freed of the influence of a couple of Goldsmiths, a Minister who was a supporter of the CAWF (Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation) and led by Doris's vegetarian wife, a bit of common sense has emerged. From new minister Mark Spencer, MP:
In an exclusive interview with Farmers Guardian, Mr Spencer said it was ‘wrong’ to set a fixed date to end badger culls, without taking into account epidemiological need.
Last year, Defra confirmed the licensing of new intensive culls would end after 2022, following a personal intervention from then Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
It was widely rumoured that Mr Johnson’s wife, Carrie, influenced the decision, which caused outrage in farming circles.
Mr Spencer said: “We all want to stop shooting badgers and the way to stop shooting badgers is to eradicate TB.
In the report Mr. Spencer also points out:
“I think we need to follow the science here and look at what actually works. I am afraid you come to the conclusion that vaccination in areas around where TB is spreading to, with a cull in the middle of that area where it is very intensive, is probably the most practical way of dealing with TB."
And the way to find out if a hotspot is developing, with cattle as the sentinels of the problem, and herds nailed to the proverbial under restriction, is to use those details from the Risk Assessment which every new breakdown has from a member of APHA.
If a new breakdown herd has had no bought in cattle since the herd's last clear test, and no cattle contact, it's 'Houston 'we have a problem'.
All that information should used, not filed to gather dust.
You know it makes sense.
Mr Spencer concludes:
“The only way other countries have eradicated TB is to get (rid of) that sponge of TB in the natural population and unfortunately, badgers are part of that problem.
Quite.
