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DEFRA SHOULD BE USING ALL AVAILABLE OPTIONS IN BOVINE TB BATTLE - WILLIAMS

March 23, 2009 12:27 PM

Following today's [Thursday's] announcement by the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Hilary Benn MP, that the first injectable badger TB vaccine will be available from 2010, Roger Williams, MP for Brecon and Radnorshire and Liberal Democrat Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson, has called on DEFRA to reconsider the case for a trial badger cull to further reduce bovine TB rates.

Mr Williams said:

"While this announcement will be welcome news to some livestock farmers, many will feel that the Secretary of State is not using all the tools in his arsenal.

"A program of vaccines, regular testing and a pilot cull of badgers, as recommended by the Government's former chief scientist, Sir David King, and the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Select Committee, would be far more effective in reducing the rates of bovine TB.

"This vaccine will not be available for another year, during which time a pilot cull could be taking place to determine how effective culling is in reducing TB reservoirs.

"I will continue to call for the Secretary of State to consider all the available options and hope that this development will not prevent him from leaving all options 'on the table'"

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