Welsh launch PR battle in badger cull zone

The Welsh Assembly Government is set to launch a publicity campaign ahead of its planned badger cull.

The campaign includes a leaflet drop to all households in the area of north Pembrokeshire where the cull is set to take place.

The leaflet explains why the cull is necessary and includes a factsheet on bovine TB and the TB eradication programme.

Wales’ rural affairs minister Elin Jones has also visited a dairy farm in the targeted cull area where a pedigree herd has succumbed to bovine TB for the first time in more than three decades.

Nick and Nadia Gwynnes’ 60 pedigree Simmental cows were TB tested in June and, for the first time in 31 years, a TB reactor was found. The farm, Rhos Ddu, near Crymych, is now under TB restrictions and the Gwynnes are unable to move or sell stock.

The farm falls within the Intensive Action Area where a badger cull could go ahead next spring. But in the short term its means the Gwynnes’ have to adhere to strict cattle control measures. They will remain under restriction until they have two clear tests.

Mr Gwynnes said the impact of this is that he cannot trade and will have no income from his cattle for four months.

“Our biggest market is Scotland, but we will miss the autumn pedigree sales this year,” he said. “The fact that we have had TB could affect us for the long-term, as Scottish farmers are already reluctant to buy livestock from Wales because of TB.”

Feeding additional cattle over the winter could cost the Gwynnes £15,000 and the prospect of this has made them consider giving up organic production.

They have also thought about moving to Scotland where this is no bovine TB. “We don’t want to move, but we want to carry on farming. It’s heartbreaking,” said Mrs Gwynnes.

Elin Jones said the Gwynnes’ situation reflects an immense human cost of bovine TB.

“Their situation is sadly familiar, and reinforces my determination to eradicate bovine TB from Wales,” she said.

“Cattle controls are an important part of eradicating bovine TB and, while I appreciate that restrictions are hard to live with, they are in place for the long term benefit.

“We are consulting at the moment on proposals to deal with badgers, which also play an important part in spreading TB, in the Intensive Action Area.”

The Intensive Action Area is mainly located in north Pembrokeshire but includes small parts of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire.

This is one of the areas with the highest incidence of bovine TB in Europe. In the last seven years around of 70% of farms in the area have had the disease.

• Consultation documents and the evidence considered by Elin Jones on the draft Badger Control Order can be viewed online at www.wales.gov.uk/bovinetb. The consultation ends on 17 December.