“Given enough time, Nature will adapt a solution to this problem;
What is needed now is a token jesture that will belay all the wailing voices, have no real effect against the problem, but will then give a breathing space for Nature to run its' course.
It seems that all parties involved agree, however unwillingly, that culling badgers is not a real solution, but merely a stop-gap for farmers having to dispose of infected animals safely, thus suffering loss of Income.
Farmers have cut too many Health & Safety corners in the past, and they should now stand up and do what is right;
Supply fit -for -consumption products, and seek help to resolve any ongoing H & S issues, whether or not it affects their livelyhood;
for too many years, we , as a Nation, have suffered at the hands of their shortcomings and penny-pinching methods;
They must pay, although this will have a detrimental effect on Farmers who have opted to follow a cleaner regime than some others, but will still be tarred with the same brush.
I can't help feeling, though, that even the most conscientious of farmers has known of another farmer cutting corners, but hasn't told anybody.”

“Mr Holmes, point taken. Actually I had taken your main point but I went off on a bit of a tangent - sorry!”

“Francis, I fear you have missed the point of my post. I stated a personal belief that farmers should make a decision based on their experience and advice from trusted sources. I didn't state a preference for culling or not as I have no knowledge of the subject.
My point which was in response to the headline of the article and the first post is the blaming of the 'Big Society' concept for anything that people don't agree with.”

“Mr Holmes, there are lots of things that a lifetime of experience in the field can't tell you, whatever that field might be. The agricultural industry, like most industries, has always been heavily influenced by scientific research.

One of the problems with the badger culling trial was that farmers suspected, rightly or wrongly, that the interpretation of the results had been heavily influenced by wildlife conservation considerations. Many believed it was a forgone conclusion that widespread badger culling was never going to happen, whatever the results.

Many farmers also believe, again rightly or wrongly, that there is too much emphasis on wildlife conservation and that the public are far more concerned about furry animals that farmers' livelihoods.

Hopefully the consultation will have attracted enough comments from all sides to allow a proper objective evaluation of the problem in order to decide whether farmers can and should operate a properly coordinated culling operation.

I feel really sorry for farmers these days, particularly dairy farmers. I know from personal experience that it is an extremely difficult life at the best of times and suffering a TB breakdown must be devastating.

But the worst outcome would be for farmers to go to a lot of trouble and a great deal of expense decimating badger populations with no real benefit to them at the end of the day.”

“It seems that 'Big Society' has now become everyones byword for criticising any decision made in any level of goverment that they don't agree with. There is no evidence whatsoever that either this government or the last influenced DEFRA's advice. From a personal perspective I think those best placed to decide how to combat Bovine TB are the farmers. It is their livelihood and it is them with the lifetime of experience in the field. They should be allowed to take advice from sources they trust and take whichever approach that their knowledge and experience sees fit.
The Big Society is a generational concept. We need to turn back against the greed culture and me, me, me attitude of the last 30 years and start becoming a community again. That means giving up your time for other people, it means not coveting what others have. We need to overturn this belief that social mobility is a function of the state and return it to the individual. I have no political bias in this argument, I believe we are in the position we are now due to the actions of both Conservative and Labour governments.
I just think those that criticise the idea of a Big Society do it as it is easier to moan that get off their bums and do something.”

“TB has already started to decline since more regular testing and other measures were introduced. If we start culling badgers in TB hot-spot areas and the decline continues, how can we be sure the culling has had any effect?”

“Quite right, Francis, only today we hear Philip Hammond, Secretary of State for Transport, on Radio 4 saying exactly the same regarding road maintenance and that it was nothing to do with him that the country's road network is falling into disrepair.

What's happening in the county is nothing to do with the government it's up to the Big Society to sort it out. Are they asking us to throw a bit of "black stuff" into the potholes?”