NBA welcomes Badger Cull Pilot overseer
The National Beef Association (NBA) has welcomed the announcement that Professor Christopher Wathes has been appointed chairman of a panel of independent experts that will oversee the two English pilot badger culls. Professor Wathes is Professor of Animal Welfare at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and the current chair of the Farm Animal Welfare Committee (FAWC). He is also a research scientist, with interests in environmental biology and the management of livestock and other animals. The appointment was made by Farming Minister Jim Paice MP, and it is understood that other panel members will be appointed in due course.
The independent panel will oversee the two six-week pilot badger culls in West Gloucestershire and West Somerset and will advise on the monitoring of the safety, effectiveness and humaneness of controlled shooting. The culls will start in Autumn 2012, and data gained during the culls will be studied to determine whether the policy of controlled shooting can be expanded to a further 10 locations a year from 2013 onwards.
Commenting, Professor Wathes said “Badger culling is a very sensitive issue which is why this group will be completely independent in the work they conduct. I will be joined by a selection of experts from a range of disciplines and our job will be to carefully consider the design and conduct of the pilots to enable a thorough examination of the humaneness, safety and effectiveness of the culling method being used.”
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
