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WELSH CONSULTATION / TB TRILOGY- TARGETTING CHILDREN

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Download: WOMEN'T FOOD AND FARMING UNION - TB TRILOGY

FARMERS WEEKLY
Last chance to respond to TB consultation
03 December 2010 | Olivia Cooper

All farmers - whether currently affected by TB or not - should respond to the government's badger cull consultation before 8 December. Speaking in Devon last week, DEFRAf arm minister Jim Paice said TB was one of the greatest challenges British agriculture has ever faced.

"The farming industry is hugely important, and I believe we have a bright future - as long as we can face up to the challenges we have got now."

TB cost the taxpayer £63m a year, with more than 25,000 cattle slaughtered unnecessarily last year. "It is an upward trend and we can't go on like this - it is an animal welfare issue and it is a human welfare issue," Mr Paice.

"I hope all farmers have read the consultation, and I hope even more people have replied to it, so we have a genuine cross section of responses. We all know the bulk of the responses will be opposed to a cull, but it is the quality of the responses that matters." He urged all farmers and associated industries - not just livestock producers under TB restriction - to respond to the consultation on a point-by-point basis, to show real understanding of the issues. "It is important that you all get engaged with this."

Mr Paice said he was 99% certain that a cull would be challenged in a judicial review, and the consultation would cover every avenue to help win that review. "If we lose, culling badgers will be off the agenda, probably forever."

Richard Haddock, the NFU's former livestock board chairman, urged farmers to print off response forms and take them round to their neighbours and trade representatives. He also reminded arable farmers to respond, as they would be directly affected by a declining livestock industry. "If we don't succeed in getting a cull we will end up with the TB hotspot areas being no-go for bovines, with no compensation, nothing."

The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers has echoed the sentiments. "Clearly there is considerable opposition from wildlife groups  and others to any attempt to change the status quo," said RABDF chairman, David Cotton. "Consequently, no progress will be made unless as many farmers as possible express their own thoughts to government on this consultation." The association in its own response has agreed to government's proposals for a package of measures to develop affordable options for a carefully-managed and science-led policy of badger control in areas with high and persistent levels of bovine TB.

Meanwhile the Women's Food and Farming Union added that winning the public's hearts and minds would be essential if a badger cull was approved.

The WFU published a series of information leaflets last week, to help explain to the general public why a cull of infected badgers was necessary to eradicate TB. The leaflets are aimed at primary school children, GCSE and A-Level students, and opinion formers.

"This is an attempt to cut through the misinformation and spin in the public arena, in order to appeal directly to consumers to help bring an end to the bovine TB tragedy which is rapidly engulfing the country," said a WFU spokeswoman. "We have no desire to eradicate badgers but we are committed to eradicating bovine TB,"

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WOMEN, FARMING & ACTION

Bovine TB The TB Trilogy put together by Rosemary Berry and Lynne Askew from Devon Branch was launched at the AGM. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of this document, and thank Lynne and Rosemary for their hard work and determination in putting this vital pack together. Whilst a WFU response to the consultation on the proposed badger cull will be submitted ,please do use the form in the pack to send in individal responses, as these will help to support the need for a cull of infected badgers. Too many groups are leaving it to others , and there is little or no information being put out giving reasons for a cull. Farmers have no desire to erradicate badgers, but they do want to erradicate TB and put an end to suffering in all infected animals. Please see links:TB consultation

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If you wish to view the trilogy please contact WFU: secretary@wfu.org.uk

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GLAMORGAN FARMERS 

The Welsh Assembly Government is consulting on proposed legislation for badger culling as part of a programme to eradicate bovine TB in cattle in an Intensive Action Area in a defined part of west Wales

Bovine TB Eradication Programme: Consultation on Badger Control in the Intensive Action Area

Please send any views tosecretary@wfu.org.uk marked FAO Wales

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SOUTH WEST BUSINESS
1 December 2010 10:00

An informed public 'would back the cull' The Women's Food and Farming Union campaign was launched last week at the organisation's annual meeting in London, with the publishing of a special document called TB Trilogy.

Rosemary Berry, of Devon WFU, explained the whole scheme began in Devon, before being adopted by the WFU nationally.

She said: "Historically, the WFU has linked the producer and the consumer, and one of our key roles has been to explain complex and difficult farming issues in a way that everyone can understand and relate to. This is an attempt to inform everyone about the problems and suffering experienced by badgers, by cattle and by farmers as a result of bovine TB. We believe that if the public was given the facts it would support a badger cull. "It is as much in the interests of the badger population as it is in the interests of cattle and farmers."

Mrs Berry added: "We have endeavoured to deal with it sensitively – but we have also attempted to be as honest as possible about all the facts, which have been drawn not only from our own experience, but researched with the leading medical, veterinary and agricultural authorities on TB, as well as knowledgeable lay people and those who deal with the emotional effect on farming families when a TB breakdown occurs despite their best efforts.

"The TB Trilogy contains information to suit all ages and levels of understanding." The document states: "It is hoped that a badger vaccine will help fight the disease very soon but it cannot solve

the problem on its own, without killing the infected animals, badgers and cattle, to get rid of the TB as well. "The Government planned to stop the suffering of badgers with TB in the same way as they have been doing with cattle.

"There are now thousands of badgers spreading TB to each other and to farm animals, wildlife and some domestic pets.

"If the disease is not controlled in a quick and sensible way, more animals will continue to suffer an unnecessarily painful and difficult end to their lives."

A copy of the TB Trilogy was presented to Farming Minister Jim Paice last week.

 

 

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