WIREDGOV

Following consideration of the responses to a 14-week public consultation, the Minister today (30 September) laid the TB Eradication (Wales) Order 2009, which will give the Assembly Government the powers to use culling and vaccination of badgers as part of the eradication programme.

Of the 741 responses to the consultation, the issue of culling as a part of a badger control strategy attracted most responses. 50% of the total respondents opposed culling as part of the strategy, while 49% agreed that a badger cull could have an impact on TB eradication if carried out alongside cattle measures.  Of the Welsh responses 88% agreed that culling needed to be considered as part of a badger control strategy.  

The Minister stressed that the legislation did not, in itself, mean the start of a badger cull but that an important part of the preparatory work is complete. Work on environmental considerations and defining the area is also underway.

The Minister said:

“TB in cattle is one of the biggest threats facing the dairy and beef industry in Wales. Last year, over 12,000 cattle were culled because of the disease, and nearly £25million spent in compensation. We have already slaughtered over 8000 cattle this year; this time last year it was just over 7000. By 2014, the cost to the taxpayer could be £80million if action to eradicate TB in cattle is not taken.

"TB Health Check Wales, an initiative to test all cattle herds in Wales before the end of December is ahead of schedule and has succeeded so far in identifying nearly 100 new herd breakdowns that may not have been discovered for another four years. All cattle herds in Wales will also be tested again in 2010. In less than a year, we have also dramatically reduced the number of overdue tests pre Health Check Wales by over 97% from 711 tests to 18.

 “Following the recent consultation on legal powers, and consideration of the responses submitted, I am still of the view that a badger cull in an Intensive Action Pilot Area (IAPA) is necessary as part of our programme to eradicate bovine TB. Before I make a final decision on an IAPA, there are further steps which need to be taken.

“I have always said that any cull of badgers could only go ahead when all preparatory work is complete. This Order is an important step towards completing that work, providing the necessary legal powers for a Welsh Assembly Government managed cull.

“Work is well underway on environmental considerations, and to identify the exact boundaries of the IAPA, which I have already indicated is likely to be in the North Pembrokeshire area.

“The outcome of this work will inform my final decision.

"During any cull, appropriate monitoring and assessment will be essential to establish the success or otherwise of this pilot. We should then be in a position to take decisions on any expansion of this scheme. However, this would only be in areas where TB is endemic and all badgers in Wales will not be culled.

“However, even though bovine TB is an escalating problem, with over 12,000 cattle slaughtered last year, it is not a problem everywhere. We will adopt strategies that are suitable to the locality and in areas where the incidence of TB is low, keeping the disease out of the area is the priority.”

Related Links

Bovine TB

Find out more about the Welsh Assembly Government's Bovine TB Eradication Programme