'Let us deal with badgers', says Shropshire farming leader
Farmers must be allowed to deal with the badger population to rid their cattle of TB, a farming leader has said.
Stephen James, president of NFU Cymru, made the claim to farmers at an event hosted by Montgomeryshire branch chairman Jonathan Wilkinson in Meifod, near Welshpool.
Mr James told farmers that two Welsh bodies had been contracted to carry out the TB testing on farms and said it was good news. He added: "They are consortiums of local vets, which means that it will be local vets that will be coming onto the farms, rather that those from outside the area."
Those at the meeting said the TB testing meant their cows were often overlooked by buyers if they went to market in England or Scotland. Mr James said it was imperative that farmers made sure they had all their records such as pre-movement testing up to date.
"We need to be allowed to deal with the badger problem – legally of course," he said. "Europe is not happy with the TB compensation scheme, it wants to see the UK rid of TB. What is stopping us is British politics."
Famers fear they will lose vital agricultural subsidies when the Welsh government changes the way its hands out the CAP payments, Mr James was told.
