Blocking of Welsh badger cull 'a severe setback'
A LEGAL ruling blocking a badger cull in Wales is a "severe setback" for tackling bovine TB which has blighted livestock farmers in Devon, according to the National Farmers' Union.
The NFU said that the quashing of the controversial order by the Court of Appeal would be a "very bitter pill" for many farmers.
Details of the judgment, which upheld an appeal by the Badger Trust against the Welsh Assembly's plans to trap and shoot badgers in West Wales, are now being studied closely for their implications for a targeted cull in England.
It is expected that Devon would be included in any badger cull as it is a "hot spot" for bovine TB.
The Welsh cull was among measures, including stricter controls on cattle, intended to eradicate bovine tuberculosis from North Pembrokeshire and neighbouring parts of Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.
Lord Justice Pill said the Welsh Assembly was wrong to make an order for the whole of Wales when it consulted on the basis of an Intensive Action Pilot Area which only supported a cull.
The Westminster-based coalition Government, which pledged to introduce "a carefully managed and science-led policy of badger control in areas with high and persistent levels of bovine tuberculosis", is now studying the judgment carefully.
A spokesman for the South West NFU said: "It's bitterly disappointing. It's a very complicated judgment and we are still going through it in detail.
"It is yet another setback in what's a very long-running saga which doesn't benefit wildlife, cattle, or farmers."
A Defra spokesman said: "We will look at the judgment in detail."
He added: "The Government remains committed to carefully managed and science-led badger control as part of a package of measures, and we're looking carefully at badger vaccination and culling as part of that."
Responding to the ruling, the RSPCA said it was delighted the appeal had been allowed.
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by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Saturday, July 17 2010, 9:41PM
“:| You are hardly visible Miles. . You must remember to take your Viagra. . These comments are for grown ups.”
by miles, dublin
Saturday, July 17 2010, 9:18PM
“tw@t
was that better?”
by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Saturday, July 17 2010, 6:08PM
“:) And remember; crime has fallen by 45% since 1997 according to the Labour Party's 'statistics'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P6UU6m3cqk
.”
by Urban Leprechaun, Ardara, Donegal
Saturday, July 17 2010, 12:58PM
“Miles na Gopalean?
Posting here?
No way.
Miles na G is a brilliant satirist who writes for the Irish Times, and the Donegal Democrat.
No way.
Because this post has none of his wit and brilliance.
BTW. "Ardara" is pronounced "Ah-drah".”
by miles nagopalean, dublin
Saturday, July 17 2010, 10:41AM
“"Editor; the ignorance and offensiveness of the self-confessed Irish pot-smoker, Urban Leprechaun, to the rural community in the South West is quite staggering."
Personally, I find this statement offensive. I also believe that it's illegal. Unpleasant posts like this are common on this paper's pages and it's not right. If the person who made the statement apologises then I'm prepared to forget it. If not I'll be taking it further. This newspaper is forbidden from revealing personal data under the Data Protection Act but a criminal investigation may override that act.
I'm not messing about Mr. Henry. I will follow this through.”
by henry blince, devon
Saturday, July 17 2010, 8:20AM
“Charles Henry, once again only believing what it suits him to believe.
The figures are from the British Crime Survey and the police's own recorded statistics, not the Labour party.
Where do the figures from where you draw your conclusions come from Charles? Come on, lets see a reference.”
by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Friday, July 16 2010, 8:58PM
“:| No such thing Theo. .You may believe in fairies. . I certainly do not.
Remember; crime has fallen by 45% since 1997 according to the Labour Party's 'statistics'.”
by Urban Leprechaun, Lifton
Friday, July 16 2010, 7:41PM
“A victory of sorts....
CH has finally, if grudgingly and flippantly, accepted that there has been a fall in bTB in Ulster - and this has been achieved without a cull.
My life's work is complete.
I am off to the Big Sett in the Sky.”
by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Friday, July 16 2010, 6:48PM
“:| All this judgement has done is just prove that the law is an @ss, and all those involved in pleading for the badger, believe that a badger has a greater right to life (or miserable death) than any other mammal.”
by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Friday, July 16 2010, 6:29PM
“:| Henry why don't you just accept the fact that you are totally unresearched on this subject, and then stop just repeating misinformation that has been put about by others as equally ill-informed . . Northern Ireland is a 'lawless' province. . Have no doubt that culling those animals that are infected with bTB does does gradually shut down the disease and prevent the bacterium reproducing and spreading. . The ultimate aim is to get completely healthy populations of all animals. . Gassing badgers took out complete sets. . Just trapping badgers has clearly been causing perturbation and spreading the disease from infected sets. . . The longer this all goes on the more difficult it will to eradicate. . Even if they slaughtered the ENTIRE cattle population tomorrow, bTB would continue to spread throughout the animal kingdom. That is to ALL ANIMALS, INCLUDING US. . Just why is that so difficult for you to understand? . It is only called Bovine Tuberculosis because cattle were the first animal that this particular strain was isolated in. . Man was the first carrier of TB and Mycobacterium tuberculosis came before Mycobacterium bovis. .
Back in 1997, before all these XAR strains started appearing, Dr. Jerome Harms of the University of Wisconsin-Madison stated that the scientific and medical community must not ignore the potential of an M.bovis TB epidemic. . For politicians to allow bTB to just spread without any attempt to inhibit it, is at best crass stupidity, and at worst criminal neglect of their responsibility.”