Curry TB remarks "ill-informed and unhelpful" warns Badger Trust

For immediate release: 16.00 13 October 2006

The Badger Trust today expressed concern that Sir Don Curry, chairman of the Government's Sustainable Food and Farming Delivery Group, has allegedly claimed that a badger cull will be required "to beat TB" in cattle.

The remarks are reported in today's Western Morning News [1], although the Badger Trust notes that none of the direct quotes involve Sir Don stating that badgers must be culled.

Rather, he is quoted as saying: "Until we recognise the source of infection in wildlife, we shan't make the progress which is so vital. There are many of us who have believed for a long time that we need a comprehensive campaign to beat bovine TB."

Responding, Trevor Lawson from the Badger Trust said:
"If Sir Don has said that a badger cull is necessary, his remarks are ill-informed and unhelpful. The latest research shows that 'the source of infection in wildlife' is in fact cattle [2]. Cattle give TB to badgers and it is on cattle that resources should be concentrated. We are seeking an urgent meeting with Sir Don to clarify his position and to explain to him that the latest research also shows that culling badgers spreads the disease more rapidly."

ENDS

For further comment, contact Trevor Lawson on 07976 262388.

1. http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=141529&command=displayContent&sourceNode=141513&contentPK=15670273&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch
2. Culling and cattle controls influence tuberculosis risk for badgers, Woodroffe et al (2006), Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, DOI/10.1073/PNAS.0606251103, available online at http://www.nasonline.org/site/PageServer

Susan Symes
Admin Officer
Badger Trust
(formerly National Federation of Badger Groups, NFBG)
2b Inworth Street
London
SW11 3EP
Tel: 0207 228 6444
Fax: 0207 228 6555
email: susan.symes@badgertrust.org.uk <mailto:susan.symes@badgertrust.org.uk>
website: www.badgertrust.org.uk <http://www.badgertrust.org.uk>

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