The Cull Area

Support and opposition: The views of the people.

Although the exact boundaries of the pilot zone remain a secret all landowners within it have been notified that their land may be visited by Assembly contractors.

This section explores the division and contention within the communities in and around the cull area.

 

Felicia Ruperti – an Ecologist living in an alternative lifestyle community in the cull area:

"The badger is an indigenous animal. It fulfils an important niche in its ecosystem.

"It belongs here and it’s not overcrowded the way that cattle are.

"Most diseases occur because of overpopulation and there are too many cattle on our lands.”

John Bevan - a cattle farmer in the cull area:

"I'm in favour of taking out badgers but only infected ones. I've had healthy livestock killed and spent so much time and money on movement restrictions, that it seems the only option."

Dai Hamilton - a farmer with cattle, some miles to the west of the cull area:

"I moved to my farm in 1987 and then there was only one badger set on the whole farm. Now I have at least one in every field.

"Nobody's monitoring badger numbers so their just moving up and up. Badgers have to be controlled, like everything else if there's too many of them or they spread disease."

 

Tina Sacco - a cattle farmer within the cull area:

"I've had TB twice on my farm and I know how devastating it can be.

"But I know there's a vaccine for badgers which will work so I'm against the cull."

 

 

David Harries - a pedigree cattle farmer, south of the cull area:

"I don't think the cull will achieve anything worthwhile. I have a TB free herd with lots of badgers on my land.

"I sympathise with farmers who've lost cattle to TB because it's their livelihood. But I think that wider concern is agricultural practises.

"The cull is a political gesture which won't achieve anything."

 

Mike Joseph - a landowner living inside the cull area:

"I'm against the cull because it's a policy based on no science at all. I also think the fact that cullers can come on my property against my wishes is a civil rights matter."