Welsh farming leaders fear that the bovine tuberculosis eradication programme in Wales is losing its momentum.
It is six weeks since Wales' minister, John Griffiths, appointed a review panel to re-examine the science behind a badger cull proposed by the previous Welsh government.
But the panel is yet to report its findings and farmers are worried that as time passes the eradication programme is losing its direction.
They had expected a pilot cull of badgers to begin in north Pembrokeshire last summer but when the new Labour-led Welsh Government came to power in May it decided that approach needed to be scrutinised more fully.
Ian Rickman, chairman of the Farmers’ Union of Wales’ Carmarthenshire county executive committee, expressed his fears on the future of the eradication programme during a recent meeting with Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire AM, Angela Burns.
Mrs Burns, a Conservative AM, admitted that she shared his concerns.
“There was a time when the assembly overwhelmingly supported the government, the chief veterinary officer and the scientists, yet a mere 90 days later the new environment minister, who is now the person in charge of animal welfare, called a sudden halt to the programme,” she said.
“It’s a complete about turn and leaves the dairy farming industry in Wales in confusion and concern.’’
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See the
DEFRA video on help for farmers to deal with bovine TB.