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Threats to boycott Welsh dairy after badger cull decision

FARMERS GUARDIAN
16 March 2011 | By Barry Alston
WILDLIFE supporters are threatening to boycott Welsh dairy products in protest at the Welsh Assembly Government’s decision to press ahead with its badger cull plans in West Wales.

It comes as opposition to the cull of up to 1,500 badgers centred on north Pembrokeshire - reported in last week’s Farmers Guardian - starts to build and four Assembly Members, Peter Black, Lorraine Barrett, Irene James and Jenny Randerson have tabled an amendment motion calling for the legislation to be annulled.

That will be debated in the Senedd within the next two weeks but in the meantime Animal group Viva! claims to have commitments from more than 2,000 people to shun dairy products from Wales if the five-year trapping and slaughter operation goes ahead.

It estimates the action will cost the Welsh dairy sector ‘many millions’ of pounds each year.

Some landowners in the targeted area also say they will launch legal action against the proposed cull ─ likely to get under way once May’s Welsh Assembly elections are over.

There has been criticism, too, on the timing of the announcement.

“It did not surprise us,” said Celia Thomas, chairman of Pembrokeshire Against the Cull pressure group.

“We anticipated the new Order would come after the Yes-No Referendum and before May’s Assembly elections. Being cynical, you might think it has been timed so no-one can vote on the issues.”

She said every Assembly Member was being contacted in a bid to stop the cull before the Assembly elections. Candidates would also be canvassed as to their views with responses posted on a website.

“We are determined to fight this flawed decision by all legal means possible,” she added.

In all, some 14,000 responses were submitted in the cull’s public consultation exercise, of which around half were mass produced. Of the remaining 7,000 responses, around 5,000 rejected the plans.

PAC says it has not ruled out legal action and will be consulting with members citing an infringement of human rights as the grounds.

The deciding factor, however, could be the considerable financial implications.

A number of landowners, angry over the issue of enforced access and the possible impact on property prices, could go ahead anyway.

● Should the legislation get the go-ahead before the current Assembly is dissolved on March 31 there will not be any culling before the May 5 elections, with late May or early June being the likely start date

 

 

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