Badger culling to resume despite science chief’s warning

The UK government has approved a new round of supplementary badger culls across England, despite warnings from Natural England’s science chief Dr Peter Brotherton that there is “no justification” for further killing.

Farmers Weekly understands Natural England will extend supplementary culling licences this summer in nine zones, from Derbyshire to Wiltshire, to combat bovine TB.

From September, culling will also expand into 10 further areas, including in Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Cumbria.

See also: High Court to hear legal challenge over badger cull

Defra launched the culling programme under a Conservative government in 2013 to curb bovine TB in cattle.

However, Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government has pledged to scrap what it called an “ineffective” badger cull in its manifesto, replacing it with vaccination of both badgers and cattle.

NFU warning

The NFU insists badger culling is effective as part of a holistic approach to eradicating bovine TB, including cattle testing, movement controls and biosecurity measures, and has warned the government against ending the culls before scientifically proven alternatives are in place.

Defra says the next steps on the 2025 supplementary badger control licences will be set out in due course.

Meanwhile, a legal challenge against the culls by wildlife groups Wild Justice and the Badger Trust will be heard at the High Court in London later this year.