End of the Badger Cull licences

Badger Trust Staff Team
23 hours ago
2 min read

We, the undersigned NGOs and groups, support the UK Government's decision to end intensive and supplementary badger cull licences in England from January 2026.

We are, however, concerned that culling will be retained under the UK Government's new bovine tuberculosis (bTB) eradication strategy. Currently, one remaining cull licence in Cumbria - a low-risk area for bTB - is set to continue and remain in effect until 2029.

As stated in the government's Animal Welfare Strategy released last month, it is critically important to be at the cutting edge of research to drive forward policy thinking.

The indiscriminate and unscientific culling of badgers has no role in the eradication of bTB in cattle. Scientific evidence consistently demonstrates that most disease transmission occurs between cattle, and given the government's own assessment that badger culling is ineffective, the Cumbria licence should end in line with others.

The main priorities for tackling the disease should be improved cattle testing accuracy, stricter controls on cattle movement, and implementing robust biosecurity measures on farms, with greater support for farmers.

We do not support badger vaccination as the primary method for controlling bTB in cattle.

While vaccinating badgers can protect badgers from the disease and support wildlife welfare, there is currently no evidence that it offers a meaningful solution to tackling bTB in cattle herds.

As the UK Government-commissioned Godfray Review acknowledged, there has been no significant reduction in bTB in cattle after 13 years of lethal badger control.

We must not return to the ineffective and inhumane policies of previous governments, which resulted in the loss of over half the estimated badger population in England, and poor outcomes for farmers.

There is a better way forward for farmers, badgers, and for communities across the country.