On December 2 Owen Paterson made a Written Ministerial Statement on the end of the 2013 pilot badger cull in West Gloucestershire.
Andy Robertson, NFU Director General, said: “This has been the first year of the pilot culls and we had always expected to gain knowledge from the first year to implement in subsequent years. That was the whole point of the pilots. We’re sure everyone involved will be keen to look at the knowledge gained from this first year to help with the delivery of the pilots for the next three years.
“The pilots were designed to test safety, humaneness and effectiveness. I want to praise those managing the culls and the contractors on the ground; the current record of safety and humaneness is testament to their professionalism and hard work and has been achieved despite a sustained attempt by those against the cull to harass and intimidate people, including those with young children.
“The Chief Vet has said that badger culling over a four-year period in both pilot areas will help to reduce TB in cattle. The Farming Minister said on Friday that the extension in Gloucestershire had been worthwhile and had removed a significant number of badgers which will make a difference to disease control in the area. We look forward to the final independent report on the pilot badger culls expected in the New Year.
“We must not forget bovine TB is the greatest threat facing our beef and dairy farmers and it is vital we do everything we can to control and eradicate it. The NFU remains committed to supporting wider roll out to help prevent the spread of this terrible disease.”
To find out more about bovine TB and the impact it has on farms, visit www.tbfreeengland.co.uk.