Badger appeal decision welcomed by Greens

Jake Griffiths, Wales Green Party Leader, welcomed the Court of Appeals request to the Welsh Assembly Government to produce more evidence to support the claim that a badger cull will "eliminate or substantially reduce" disease as required under legislation to justify the killing of large numbers of wild species. The case is being brought by the Badger Trust who have released data (1) highlighting a drop in the number of bovine TB cases across Wales including the area where the proposed cull in West Wales is to be undertaken.

Jake Griffiths, Wales Green Party Leader, said; "The Court of Appeal is finally putting the Welsh Assembly Government on the spot over its data to justify the badger killing. The weight of expert opinion continues to show that a badger cull is not the best way to control bovine TB in cattle herds. The Assembly's own studies have shown that a cull would be no more affective than a vaccination programme. It seems the height of folly for the Welsh Assembly Government to be proceeding with the badger cull just at the time when a badger vaccine is starting to be used near Stroud in England after a 10 year £11 million government funded development programme (2). The granting of leave to appeal by Lord Justice Elias is testimony to the commitment and knowledge of the Badger Trust and they should be congratulated for all their hard work and dedication."

"Sadly the Lib Con Government in Westminster recently announced it was only going to proceed with one vaccination programme in England despite the huge amount of public money that was spent developing the successful vacine. WAG should now step in and offer that the part of West Wales targeted for the badger cull for one of the vaccination programmes."

He continued: "The fight against bovine TB is incredibly important and agriculture continues to be the back bone of the welsh rural economy and it needs to be supported however an ineffectual costly badger cull will not help either.

For more information contact Sam Coates 075 3157 0056 or s.coates1@googlemail.com or Jake Griffiths on 07752754537.

ENDS

(1) http://www.nfbg.org.uk/_Attachments/Resources/407_S4.pdf

(2) http://www.fera.defra.gov.uk/news/documents/pressReleaseBadgerVaccineMar10.pdf