It had been rumoured, but DEFRA's finally admitted it has invited the European Commission to Britain to get some help in tackling bovine TB.

On the face of it, it seems DEFRA's being serious about the disease this time and has launched a TB task force with industry bodies to help come up with a disease eradication plan:

http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2008/11/03/112932/task-force-launched-to-eradicate-bovine-tb.html

I've heard Hilary Benn talk about eradication rather than control for a few months now, but this is the first time I've seen it in writing - does it look as though his stance on a badger cull could be changing? I won't hold my breath...

lets just hope the unoffical badger culling does not go into overdrive

Veggie Benn isn't going to do ANYTHING about Badger TB until he's forced into it.  However, given time it is almost certain that the EU will force the UK government to act, and he probably knows that.

At the moment, TB is endemic in badgers in the south and west of England, plus parts of the midlands, and is almost unknown in east anglia, but is spreading in our direction. However, it only spreads into areas where the population density is high, and I hope some culling does take place so that our healthy badgers don't get this nasty disease.

2658336:

Veggie Benn isn't going to do ANYTHING about Badger TB until he's forced into it.  However, given time it is almost certain that the EU will force the UK government to act, and he probably knows that.

I agree, if he waits for the EU to act then government can make out it's Europe who's the badger-killing bad guys and stave off criticism from the pro-badger types.

The silver lining to this is we might see some action once the Commission has visited. If the Commission does come in the New Year, hopefully it will force the government to do something quickly and we will see some kind of eradication stratgey by the end of the year. Problem is for much of the industry, that prospect is still far too far away...

friends of mine who have been down with TB say it is like death by a thousand cuts.

overdraft goes up, compensation does not cover the loss. if you are a dartmoor hill farmer who sells suckle calves or stores it is almost terminal.

but unfortunatly we are only a very minute part of the electorate so are expendable