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| Badger cull starts in Somerset and Gloucestershire | Badger cull starts in Somerset and Gloucestershire |
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| This year's badger cull in Somerset and Gloucestershire is under way, the government has announced. | |
| The second year of a four-year scheme has started in the two counties in an attempt to prevent the spread of bovine TB in cattle. | The second year of a four-year scheme has started in the two counties in an attempt to prevent the spread of bovine TB in cattle. |
| The environment secretary, Elizabeth Truss, said: "We are pursuing a comprehensive strategy supported by leading vets, which includes cattle movement controls, vaccinating badgers in edge areas and culling badgers where the disease is rife. | The environment secretary, Elizabeth Truss, said: "We are pursuing a comprehensive strategy supported by leading vets, which includes cattle movement controls, vaccinating badgers in edge areas and culling badgers where the disease is rife. |
| "This is vital for the future of our beef and dairy industries, and our nation's food security. At present we have the highest rates of bovine TB in Europe. Doing nothing is not an option and that is why we are taking a responsible approach to dealing with bovine TB." | "This is vital for the future of our beef and dairy industries, and our nation's food security. At present we have the highest rates of bovine TB in Europe. Doing nothing is not an option and that is why we are taking a responsible approach to dealing with bovine TB." |
| Anti-cull protesters claimed an early victory after police officers oversaw the release of a trapped animal. | Anti-cull protesters claimed an early victory after police officers oversaw the release of a trapped animal. |
| The Stop the Cull organisation, which promotes direct action, claimed that on the first night of the cull, hundreds of volunteers were out in Gloucestershire and Somerset trying to cause disruption. | The Stop the Cull organisation, which promotes direct action, claimed that on the first night of the cull, hundreds of volunteers were out in Gloucestershire and Somerset trying to cause disruption. |
| It highlighted one incident in Gloucestershire in which two experienced saboteurs came across a badger trapped in a cage with cullers nearby. There was a standoff before the police arrived on the scene. | It highlighted one incident in Gloucestershire in which two experienced saboteurs came across a badger trapped in a cage with cullers nearby. There was a standoff before the police arrived on the scene. |
| The saboteurs sought advice from headquarters and were told that under the government's best practice guidelines, trapped badgers should be released if there was a risk of interference from a third party. Stop the Cull said the police "did the right thing" and freed the badger. | The saboteurs sought advice from headquarters and were told that under the government's best practice guidelines, trapped badgers should be released if there was a risk of interference from a third party. Stop the Cull said the police "did the right thing" and freed the badger. |
| Gloucestershire police confirmed the standoff, which they said was "diffused without incident". The force said the decision to release the badger was made by a contractor working for the cull operator. | Gloucestershire police confirmed the standoff, which they said was "diffused without incident". The force said the decision to release the badger was made by a contractor working for the cull operator. |
| Assistant Chief Constable Richard Berry said there would be a different "look and feel" to the operation this year, "very much focused with local officers and less reliance on mutual aid [officers coming in from another force]". | Assistant Chief Constable Richard Berry said there would be a different "look and feel" to the operation this year, "very much focused with local officers and less reliance on mutual aid [officers coming in from another force]". |
| He said: "It will be very focused on local Gloucestershire officers dealing will local issues." Berry said the policy would mean fewer officers on the ground "certainly at the start of the cull". | He said: "It will be very focused on local Gloucestershire officers dealing will local issues." Berry said the policy would mean fewer officers on the ground "certainly at the start of the cull". |
| Last year, 921 badgers were killed in Gloucestershire and 940 were shot in Somerset. | Last year, 921 badgers were killed in Gloucestershire and 940 were shot in Somerset. |
| Neither pilot managed to kill the 70% of the badger population thought to be needed to make the cull effective in reducing TB in cattle herds in the area, despite a five-week and three-day extension in Gloucestershire and a three-week extension in Somerset. | Neither pilot managed to kill the 70% of the badger population thought to be needed to make the cull effective in reducing TB in cattle herds in the area, despite a five-week and three-day extension in Gloucestershire and a three-week extension in Somerset. |
| In Somerset, 65% of the badger population was killed while in Gloucestershire the figure was 40%. The former environment secretary Owen Paterson said the "badgers moved the goalposts" when asked why marksmen failed to reach the cull target. | In Somerset, 65% of the badger population was killed while in Gloucestershire the figure was 40%. The former environment secretary Owen Paterson said the "badgers moved the goalposts" when asked why marksmen failed to reach the cull target. |
| Last week, the government announced a scheme to vaccinate badgers next to the two cull areas in an attempt to create a buffer zone. Under the scheme, which will target counties in a strip down the middle of England such as Cheshire, Oxfordshire and Hampshire, a package of support will be available, including funding of up to 50% of the long-term costs for vaccinating. | Last week, the government announced a scheme to vaccinate badgers next to the two cull areas in an attempt to create a buffer zone. Under the scheme, which will target counties in a strip down the middle of England such as Cheshire, Oxfordshire and Hampshire, a package of support will be available, including funding of up to 50% of the long-term costs for vaccinating. |
| Vaccination projects could also receive advice from experts, free loans of equipment such as traps and free supplies of vaccines. | Vaccination projects could also receive advice from experts, free loans of equipment such as traps and free supplies of vaccines. |
| The government and farmers insist that culling is necessary to tackle TB in livestock, which caused more than 26,000 cattle to be slaughtered in England last year. But opponents say culling is inhumane and ineffective, and that alternatives such as vaccination should be pursued. | The government and farmers insist that culling is necessary to tackle TB in livestock, which caused more than 26,000 cattle to be slaughtered in England last year. But opponents say culling is inhumane and ineffective, and that alternatives such as vaccination should be pursued. |
| Meurig Raymond, president of the NFU, wrote to members to inform them that the second year of culling had started. "Travelling round the country, I've seen first-hand the total human misery this disease causes for farmers and their businesses," wrote Raymond, a Pembrokeshire farmer. | Meurig Raymond, president of the NFU, wrote to members to inform them that the second year of culling had started. "Travelling round the country, I've seen first-hand the total human misery this disease causes for farmers and their businesses," wrote Raymond, a Pembrokeshire farmer. |
| "I've sat round farm kitchen tables with families who have been driven to despair after investing time and money building up their herds, only to see them devastated by bovine TB. I've spoken to grown men who've been reduced to tears as they load cow after cow, or calf after calf, on to lorries to be taken away for slaughter because of this disease. | "I've sat round farm kitchen tables with families who have been driven to despair after investing time and money building up their herds, only to see them devastated by bovine TB. I've spoken to grown men who've been reduced to tears as they load cow after cow, or calf after calf, on to lorries to be taken away for slaughter because of this disease. |
| "I also know from personal experience the emotional and economic impact this disease has because my own farm is currently under TB restrictions and I am determined to ensure that everything possible is done to tackle this disease. I am confident that these pilot culls will help deliver a reduction in bovine TB in cattle and it is vital that they are allowed to be successfully completed so they can deliver the maximum benefits." | "I also know from personal experience the emotional and economic impact this disease has because my own farm is currently under TB restrictions and I am determined to ensure that everything possible is done to tackle this disease. I am confident that these pilot culls will help deliver a reduction in bovine TB in cattle and it is vital that they are allowed to be successfully completed so they can deliver the maximum benefits." |
| Raymond said badger vaccination could have a role to play in areas that were clear of bovine TB to stop the disease spreading any further. | Raymond said badger vaccination could have a role to play in areas that were clear of bovine TB to stop the disease spreading any further. |
| "I know farmers in some of these areas are already involved with local badger vaccination projects because they recognise how important stopping this disease is," he said. "Cattle vaccination is also a key element. It is unacceptable that a workable cattle vaccine is still 10 years away and I can assure you the NFU will be doing everything it can to get this process speeded up." | "I know farmers in some of these areas are already involved with local badger vaccination projects because they recognise how important stopping this disease is," he said. "Cattle vaccination is also a key element. It is unacceptable that a workable cattle vaccine is still 10 years away and I can assure you the NFU will be doing everything it can to get this process speeded up." |
| Dominic Dyer, of the Badger Trust and Care for the Wild, said of the cull: "This is a triumph of politics, pride and persecution over common sense and science. Potentially, almost 2,000 badgers could die – that's more than last year – and for what? | Dominic Dyer, of the Badger Trust and Care for the Wild, said of the cull: "This is a triumph of politics, pride and persecution over common sense and science. Potentially, almost 2,000 badgers could die – that's more than last year – and for what? |
| "These culls are ill-conceived and incompetently managed, and will contribute nothing to reducing bovine TB in cattle. Here we have a government and the National Farmers Union pushing ahead with a policy simply because they don't have the guts to admit that it is wrong, and a complete and utter disaster for the farming industry, taxpayer and the protection of our native wildlife." | "These culls are ill-conceived and incompetently managed, and will contribute nothing to reducing bovine TB in cattle. Here we have a government and the National Farmers Union pushing ahead with a policy simply because they don't have the guts to admit that it is wrong, and a complete and utter disaster for the farming industry, taxpayer and the protection of our native wildlife." |
| Dyer said campaigners were likely to take the high court decision to reject a judicial review of the need for independent monitoring of the cull operators to the court of appeal. | Dyer said campaigners were likely to take the high court decision to reject a judicial review of the need for independent monitoring of the cull operators to the court of appeal. |
| Rosie Woodroffe, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Zoology, criticised what she described as inadequate monitoring plans for the cull. "The effectiveness of the culls … will be judged using a method so utterly inadequate it was barely considered in 2013," she wrote in a piece for the Conversation. "Key data will be collected by marksmen themselves: people with a vested interest in the cull being designated 'effective' and 'humane', who in 2013 collected data so unreliable it was considered unusable by the panel." | Rosie Woodroffe, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Zoology, criticised what she described as inadequate monitoring plans for the cull. "The effectiveness of the culls … will be judged using a method so utterly inadequate it was barely considered in 2013," she wrote in a piece for the Conversation. "Key data will be collected by marksmen themselves: people with a vested interest in the cull being designated 'effective' and 'humane', who in 2013 collected data so unreliable it was considered unusable by the panel." |