UK Government Plan To End Badger Culling By 2029
The UK government has announced plans to end the controversial badger culling practice within the next five years as part of a new strategy to combat bovine tuberculosis (TB). Over the past decade, more than 230,000 badgers and 278,000 cattle have been killed in efforts to control the disease, costing taxpayers over £100 million annually.
The new strategy, unveiled by Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs Daniel Zeichner, aims to shift from culling to vaccination. This includes the creation of a "Badger Vaccinator Field Force" to inoculate badgers and a renewed push to develop a TB vaccine for cattle.
Zeichner emphasised the devastating impact of bovine TB on both farmers and wildlife, stating, "Our comprehensive TB eradication package will allow us to end the badger cull by the end of this parliament and stop the spread of this horrific disease."
A key component of the strategy is a new national wildlife surveillance program to monitor TB prevalence in badgers and other wildlife, coupled with the first major badger population survey in over a decade. The government aims to gather accurate data on badger populations and the effects of previous culling efforts to inform future vaccination and disease control measures.
While the government is committed to ending the cull, it has pledged to honour existing culling licences to provide clarity for farmers. The National Farmers Union (NFU) has expressed cautious support for the new strategy but stressed the importance of maintaining all possible measures, including culling, until new methods are proven effective.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw stated, "This terrible disease continues to plague farmers and their livestock, and while significant elements of the government’s proposed TB strategy are still being researched and are not yet deployable at scale, they must not overlook the contribution of the tried, tested, and successful disease control model."
The strategy also faces criticism from wildlife campaigners and organisations like Badger Trust, which argue that badgers are being unfairly targeted while cattle remain the primary source of TB transmission.
Peter Hambly, Chief Executive of Badger Trust, criticised the continued culling under existing licences, stating, "The new announcement on bovine TB keeps badgers in the firing line. It focuses on badgers rather than cattle - when it is cattle that are the main spreaders of this cattle disease."
Despite the differing views, the government insists that a "data-led and scientific approach" will be key to the new strategy’s success.
Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss highlighted that "there is no single way to combat bovine tuberculosis," emphasising the need for a comprehensive approach informed by scientific and epidemiological evidence.
The strategy aims to eradicate bovine TB in England by 2038, marking a significant shift in the government's approach to managing this long-standing agricultural and wildlife issue. As the strategy unfolds, the government, farmers, and conservationists will need to work closely together to ensure that the disease is effectively controlled without resorting to widespread culling.
