Anger as Wales opts for bovine TB vaccination

The Welsh Government has been accused of a ‘cowardly betrayal’ of the Welsh farming industry by scrapping plans for a trial cull of badgers.

Environment minister John Griffiths has opted for a vaccination policy to reduce bovine TB in Wales after carefully reviewing scientific evidence.

“At present I am not satisfied that a cull of badgers would be necessary to bring about a substantial reduction in cases of TB in cattle,’’ he told a plenary session of the Welsh Government today (20 March).

But the Farmers’ Union of Wales questioned the feasibility of vaccination. The union’s bovine TB spokesman, Brian Walters, said: “According to the experts who have conducted the most significant research to date into badger vaccine, it would require a massive trial covering thousands of square miles of land just to establish whether vaccination can have an impact on cattle herd breakdown.’’

John Griffiths set out what he termed as the government’s ‘challenging and progressive plans’ for dealing with bovine TB over the next four years.
 
He acknowledged that TB had a significant financial and social impact on farmers in Wales and insisted he was personally committed to the eradication of the disease in Wales.
 
He said he had considered a number of options including whether the culling or vaccination of badgers were appropriate. “After careful consideration I have decided to pursue a badger vaccination project within the Intensive Action Area,’’ he said.
 
The Minister has asked Wales’ chief veterinary officer, Dr Christianne Glossop, to design a five year vaccination programme which would begin in the Intensive Action Area.

He had also asked for other areas where vaccination could be expected to contribute to TB eradication to be considered.
 
He urged the farming industry to work with the Government on this new policy.

Plaid Cymru accused the minister of ‘blind ignorance’. Its rural affairs spokesman, Llyr Huws Gruffydd, said the relationship between government and the farming community was now at its lowest point since devolution.

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