THE VALE Green Party has branded the Government’s latest roll out of its badger culling programme as ‘barbaric and inhumane.’
Last week the Government announced it had granted seven new licenses for parts of six counties across England in their bid to tackle bovine TB.
Culling is part of the Government’s 25-year strategy to eradicate the disease and almost 10,000 badgers are due to be killed as part of this year’s cull.
The Mid-Worcestershire and The Vale Green Party have called the policy ineffective and urged ministers to look at more ethical ways of reducing TB in cattle.
“The Tories continued reluctance to deal with the predominate causes of the spreading of TB presents an indisputable denial of present research in the field,” a spokesman for The Vale Green Party said.
“Experts have, without pause, prevented far more economical, moral, and ethical methods of reducing TB in cattle, such as greater pre-movement testing or the vaccination of badger colonies, with positive results which continue to be ignored.
“This unfounded and illogical stance, promoted and revered in the majority by those lobbying our Government within the cattle industry is a barbaric and archaic act, which, after numerous attempts, has proven nothing but its own failure.
“The reduction of TB can be garnered, without unnecessary killing, through a number of alternative measures, for example the reduction of meat in our diets, promoting lessening of herd size, and the construction of improved barriers separating badgers from cattle.”
Responding to their claims, Evesham’s MP Nigel Huddleston defended the Government’s position by saying culling plays a ‘vital role’ in eradicating TB.
“Bovine TB is the greatest animal health threat to the UK and causes devastation and distress for farmers and rural communities like ours,” he said.
“I believe that all necessary measures must be used to eradicate this devastating disease. Dealing with it is costing taxpayers £100million each year.
“The Government is delivering a 25-year strategy to eradicate this disease and protect the UK’s dairy and beef industries. This includes strengthening cattle testing and movement controls, improving biosecurity and controlling badger populations where TB is rife.
“As part of a comprehensive strategic approach, culling continues to play a vital role.
“Badger control operations in Somerset, Gloucestershire and Dorset have all been successful in meeting their targets.”
