Reform calls for badger cull in fight against bovine TB

Reform UK has urged the Welsh government to consider a badger cull as part of efforts to eradicate TB in cattle, arguing that existing policies have failed to bring the disease under control.

Currently the Welsh government has a ban on the culling badgers, favouring vaccination and other measures to tackle the disease.

Reform's rural affairs spokesperson Laura Anne Jones said "difficult decisions" were needed to tackle what she described as one of the biggest challenges facing farming communities.

Rural affairs minister Llyr Gruffydd said he would wait for recommendations from an expert advisory group before considering any change in policy.

Five years ago, the previous Labour Welsh government set a target of making Wales bovine TB-free by 2041.

While England pursued widespread badger culling in affected areas, Welsh ministers opted against the policy, relying instead on cattle controls, tighter biosecurity and vaccination.

An expert advisory panel, the TB Technical Advisory Group, was established to guide future policy, but its report has yet to be published.

England recently confirmed culling had ended, in favour of a move towards vaccinating badgers.

Opening a Senedd debate on Wednesday, Jones said bovine TB was "not a party political problem" but "one of the top and most painful issues facing our agricultural communities today".

Calling for a change of approach, she said: "The majority of us agree now that we need a targeted approach and that we need to take these difficult decisions to protect wildlife, save healthy badgers and healthy cattle, and save our farmers from further mental torture."

Labour's Vikki Howells rejected calls for a cull, saying she understood the "emotional and financial impact" and "sheer desperation" caused by TB outbreaks on farms.

However, she argued there was not yet sufficient scientific evidence to justify a change in policy.

"More evidence is needed before any change in policy should be considered," she said.

"There is simply no scientific consensus that the culling of badgers is effective in dealing with bovine TB."

Conservative MS Paul Davies backed Reform's position, arguing ministers should not wait for further evidence before acting.

"The evidence is already there to show that this disease needs to be tackled in the wildlife reservoir," he said.

Responding for the government, Llyr Gruffydd said ministers would wait for advice from the expert group before deciding whether any policy changes were needed.

"It's only right that experts advise us and not think that politicians know best," he said.

Gruffydd said the government would develop a "science-led, evidence-based and holistic" strategy to tackle the disease.

"There are no quick fixes, I fear, for TB in cattle," he said.

"But by working together and focusing on cattle, people and wildlife, I believe we can accelerate progress and move Wales closer to our shared ambition of eliminating TB by 2041."

Green Party MS Paul Rock said the distress caused by bovine TB was undeniable, but argued there was no need for badger culls because existing measures were delivering results.

"Since the decision to stop culling badgers in 2012, new herd infections have halved and bovine TB has fallen to its lowest level in almost 20 years," he said.

"All of this has been achieved without any lethal wildlife control."

Senedd members overwhelmingly backed Reform's call by 79 votes to nine, with support from Plaid Cymru and the Conservatives and opposition from Labour and the Greens.