This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-23421173
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Wales-wide badger vaccinations could see costs shared | Wales-wide badger vaccinations could see costs shared |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Farmers and charities could be asked to share the cost of badger vaccinations to eradicate bovine TB, as ministers look to afford a nationwide programme. | |
| A £1.2m grant pot over five years is being set up to help towards the cost, according to Wales' chief vet Dr Christianne Glossop. | |
| The Welsh government is funding vaccinations in parts of south west and mid Wales and last year it cost £1m. | |
| But this would be too expensive on a Wales-wide level. | But this would be too expensive on a Wales-wide level. |
| Under the plans farmers and other landowners, such as the National Trust, would foot the bill for vaccinating badgers on their land and then apply to the Welsh government for a grant to help cover the costs. | |
| The Welsh government is set to offer a grant towards farmers and landowners' costs with £250,000 annual funding over five years. | The Welsh government is set to offer a grant towards farmers and landowners' costs with £250,000 annual funding over five years. |
| This is in addition to the money already committed to the badger vaccination programme, which last year cost nearly £1m. | |
| It is estimated it costs more than £600 to vaccinate each badger. | |
| Dr Glossop announced the move at the Royal Welsh Show in Llanelwedd, Powys, during a meeting with wildlife charities and the National Trust. | |
| Queen guitarist | Queen guitarist |
| She said the Welsh government was looking to share the cost so they could deliver a badger vaccination programme across Wales. | She said the Welsh government was looking to share the cost so they could deliver a badger vaccination programme across Wales. |
| Queen guitarist Brian May has been a vocal opponent of badger culling and a representative of his charity Save Me was among wildlife and landowning organisations who met Dr Glossop. | Queen guitarist Brian May has been a vocal opponent of badger culling and a representative of his charity Save Me was among wildlife and landowning organisations who met Dr Glossop. |
| Save Me's Ann Brummer later said May backed the initiative, saying it was a Welsh initiative which could followed throughout the UK, doing away with the need for a cull. | Save Me's Ann Brummer later said May backed the initiative, saying it was a Welsh initiative which could followed throughout the UK, doing away with the need for a cull. |
| "Brian is very keen to support this and sees it as a way forward," she said. | "Brian is very keen to support this and sees it as a way forward," she said. |
| "We don't want to see cattle continued to be culled and this could be a solution." | "We don't want to see cattle continued to be culled and this could be a solution." |
| Talks are to be held with farmers to get their reaction. | Talks are to be held with farmers to get their reaction. |
| NFU Cymru deputy president Stephen James said: "We as a union have never been against a cull but when it's over £600 per badger to vaccinate them it's unaffordable to the average farmer. | NFU Cymru deputy president Stephen James said: "We as a union have never been against a cull but when it's over £600 per badger to vaccinate them it's unaffordable to the average farmer. |
| "If they can reduce the cost and we're confident that it works then there will be a lot of farmers who will support it." | "If they can reduce the cost and we're confident that it works then there will be a lot of farmers who will support it." |
| Dr Glossop said Natural Resources Minister Alun Davies had asked her team to look at ways of expanding the vaccination programme across Wales. | Dr Glossop said Natural Resources Minister Alun Davies had asked her team to look at ways of expanding the vaccination programme across Wales. |
| "The minister asked us to look at other ways in which badger vaccination might be delivered here in Wales," she said. | "The minister asked us to look at other ways in which badger vaccination might be delivered here in Wales," she said. |
| "A couple of weeks ago, the minister agreed to making available a fund to set up a grant which would help support badger vaccination in other parts of Wales. | "A couple of weeks ago, the minister agreed to making available a fund to set up a grant which would help support badger vaccination in other parts of Wales. |
| "The fund currently stands at £250,000 a year and now we've got the OK from the minister we've now got the job of developing a grant. | "The fund currently stands at £250,000 a year and now we've got the OK from the minister we've now got the job of developing a grant. |
| "As an initial step we invited wildlife groups here today to start developing our thinking." | "As an initial step we invited wildlife groups here today to start developing our thinking." |
| The second year of the five-year badger vaccination project started in parts of south west and mid Wales in May. | The second year of the five-year badger vaccination project started in parts of south west and mid Wales in May. |
| More than 1,400 badgers were vaccinated in trials ending last November. | More than 1,400 badgers were vaccinated in trials ending last November. |
| These took place in parts of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion. | These took place in parts of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion. |