Cost and threats cast shadow over badger culls

“First note that my name is not 'anonymous'. I am happy to stand up and be counted no problem. I am against the badger 'wipe out' and it's easy to explain why:
If any producer (which includes farmers obviously) states: in order to produce product A then I need to wipe out indigenous species x then I would immediately say 'no thank you sir'.
If on the other hand a producer says ' the production of my product A has inadvertently caused a serious infection in indigenous species x and I need to find a way firstly to put this right, and then seek to modify my production methods so that product A has minimal impact on species x and vice versa' then' I am all ears'. This is acting in a responsible way and saving our environment for future generations to enjoy. It's not about being a 'badger hugger' or any other derogatory term farmers like to employ for anyone who doesn't agree with them. All producers, and this includes farmers, must seek ways to live in harmony with our fellow species on this planet.
A graph recently released shows that the Irish have reduced TB by about half. It also shows that they have not eliminated TB. Far from it. Equally it doesn't show that they have shot some 45,000 badgers i.e. near nigh wiped them out in many areas to achieve this. For me this cost is way too high.

Alan Myers”

“First note that my name is not 'anonymous'. I am happy to stand up and be counted no problem. I am against the badger 'wipe out' and it's easy to explain why:
If any producer (which includes farmers obviously) states: in order to produce product A then I need to wipe out indigenous species x then I would immediately say 'no thank you sir'.
If on the other hand a producer says ' the production of my product A has inadvertently caused a serious infection in indigenous species x and I need to find a way firstly to put this right, and then seek to modify my production methods so that product A has minimal impact on species x and vice versa' then' I am all ears'. This is acting in a responsible way and saving our environment for future generations to enjoy. It's not about being a 'badger hugger' or any other derogatory term farmers like to employ for anyone who doesn't agree with them. All producers, and this includes farmers, must seek ways to live in harmony with our fellow species on this planet.
A graph recently released shows that the Irish have reduced TB by about half. It also shows that they have not eliminated TB. Far from it. Equally it doesn't show that they have shot some 45,000 badgers i.e. near nigh wiped them out in many areas to achieve this. For me this cost is way too high.
Regards
Alan Myers”

“First note that my name is not 'anonymous'. I am happy to stand up and be counted no problem. I am against the badger 'wipe out' and it's easy to explain why:
If any producer (which includes farmers obviously) states: in order to produce product A then I need to wipe out indigenous species x then I would immediately say 'no thank you sir'.
If on the other hand a producer says ' the production of my product A has inadvertently caused a serious infection in indigenous species x and I need to find a way firstly to put this right, and then seek to modify my production methods so that product A has minimal impact on species x and vice versa' then' I am all ears'. This is acting in a responsible way and saving our environment for future generations to enjoy. It's not about being a 'badger hugger' or any other derogatory term farmers like to employ for anyone who doesn't agree with them. All producers, and this includes farmers, must seek ways to live in harmony with our fellow species on this planet.
A graph recently released shows that the Irish have reduced TB by about half. It also shows that they have not eliminated TB. Far from it. Equally it doesn't show that they have shot some 45,000 badgers i.e. near nigh wiped them out in many areas to achieve this. For me this cost is way too high.
Regards
Alan Myers”

“As long as the badgers think so too, that's fine”

“I never suggested any such thing about the farmers doing things cheaply. You are reading things into my comments. I said there was a cheap option. It is an infinitely better solution for all concerned.”

“you seemed to imply in your previous post that 'cheap' was the answer that would sway the farmers. I think they have all seen where 'cheap' gets them, whether it's some of them cutting corners or supermarkets putting them out of business. Give them some credit.

This is a very strange business when all the evidence is against it, as is Parliament, following a full debate. The National Trust as the largest landowner is vaccinating badgers. The public is enraged that this slaughter is still being planned. The consequences will be immense and yet Defra and the NFU are determined to carry on regardless.

No doubt the truth will out.”

“Re the approval of the farmers. It will be entirely up to them whether they follow any plan, it is after all, them who it affects the most be it culling their farmed animals or culling the badgers, They are the ones who are paying for the culler, or not, as the case may be.”

“You surprise me. I didn't think this government knew anything past the letter A.

Yes I imagine there are more pressing concerns, like how do they tell UK citizens that they have probably been eating American racehorses, unfit for human consumption, after telling them there were no dangers. This is a quote from the Humane Society International

Horse slaughter isn't just bad for the horse, it is a serious violation of EU food safety standards because American horses are routinely given doses of veterinary drugs absolutely prohibited for any animal that enters the European food chain.
Last week, when we learned along with the rest of the world about a widening horse meat scandal in Europe, we wondered if this might be a crack in the armor of the American horse slaughter trade. We had recently learned that the number of horses exported for meat from Canada and Mexico, where most U.S. horses go for slaughter, had jumped to over 160,000 in 2012. Clearly, demand is driving the supply ever higher as, at least in Europe, the cheap cost of horse meat, relative to beef, has caused unscrupulous dealers to switch out beef for horse meat in processed foods such as lasagna and Bolognese sauce. When this fraud was discovered on Irish and English supermarket shelves, citizens in these horse-loving nations were enraged.As we meet with European officials, the scandal is widening. This week the EU called for its member state governments to test both for DNA (to determine if products labeled beef are in fact beef and not horse) and also for drug residue. This signals an expansion of the EU's investigation from the fraud related to species, to a concern about the illegal trade in adulterated horse meat. Since 20 percent of the horse meat consumed in the EU comes from North America, and virtually all of this meat is out of compliance with EU food safety standards, we are gratified to see that the Commission is paying attention to this serious food safety concern. The scandal has widened as well with Belgium announcing fraud in its equine "passport" system. This mandatory program documents all drugs given to European horses destined for slaughter. In addition, this week several more countries have verified that they have discovered horse meat in their beef products.

Moving on, it must be gratifying to be able to be so smug about the plan, of whatever letter, to slaughter thousands of innocent animals, a small potion of whom have been infected with bTB, with the primary source being the cattle. I imagine that whatever letter is used you will still need the approval of the farmers.

Shame on you. The nasty party is back and even nastier than before. The mantra seems to be 'how to do the greatest amount of damage in the shortest possible time'.”

“Farmers of Somerset, do not fear, whether you are waving, wavering or waivering, plan B is trying to be pushed through. Unfortunately the Government has slightly more pressing problems at this precise time but plan B will not be given up on......and to the previous commenters,no, I am not going to tell you what plan B is. Suffice to say it is legal and above board it just needs confirmation. Oh and it will be very cheap.”

“This is an excellent article and I agree totally with al three previous comments. The proposed cull is beyond reason and science: It is insane.”