Farmers Weekly has been asking farmers at the Royal Show for their reaction to government's refusal to implement a badger cull to control bovine TB
5 total photos Last updated on Fri, Jul 4 2008
Leics farmer James Webb grabbed the opportunity to talk to DEFRA secretary Hilary Benn when he entered the cattle sheds on a tour of the show. Speaking to FW afterwards, Mr Webb said that he had told the minister that action needed to be taken to give the public confidence in the health of livestock, as some attending shows feared that contact with animals might leave them with diseases such as TB, blutongue and foot-and-mouth.
"It will be disappointing for the livestock industry if a cull isn't to happen - you can see farmers taking the matter into their own hands. And a cull to control TB would surely be a way of allaying fears about animal diseases. I am sure the government's PR machine could convince the public there is a need to do this."
James Webb, Rushfield Farm, Billson, Leics