Tuesday, March 23, 2010
A farmer writes on the badger cull
Interesting diary piece in this morning's Western Mail farming supplement in which a North Pembrokeshire farmer caught in the middle of the badger cull writes about how it has divided his community:
A short while ago a friend of mine, buying a Daioni milkshake in a Newport health-food shop, was confronted by another shopper who asked how she could buy something produced by a farmer who supported the cull. “By supporting them, you support the cull,” she was told.
I don’t know the rights and wrongs of it. How can I? I’m a farmer not a scientist or a politician. The WAG seems convinced that wholesale slaughter is necessary, but many of the reports in the newspapers indicate otherwise.
What I do know is that I am here, in the middle of it, getting on with feeding our cattle, helping sheep out from the brambles, cutting wind-blown trees and repairing the damage to fences while wondering whether the ALF will choose our farm and rip them all down again in revenge for what the WAG concludes needs to be done to reduce bTB and save the cattle.
We depend on the good will and friendship of our neighbours as they do of ours. Aside from the death of many thousands of badgers, the social implications of the cull for our parish are many.
A short while ago a friend of mine, buying a Daioni milkshake in a Newport health-food shop, was confronted by another shopper who asked how she could buy something produced by a farmer who supported the cull. “By supporting them, you support the cull,” she was told.
I don’t know the rights and wrongs of it. How can I? I’m a farmer not a scientist or a politician. The WAG seems convinced that wholesale slaughter is necessary, but many of the reports in the newspapers indicate otherwise.
What I do know is that I am here, in the middle of it, getting on with feeding our cattle, helping sheep out from the brambles, cutting wind-blown trees and repairing the damage to fences while wondering whether the ALF will choose our farm and rip them all down again in revenge for what the WAG concludes needs to be done to reduce bTB and save the cattle.
We depend on the good will and friendship of our neighbours as they do of ours. Aside from the death of many thousands of badgers, the social implications of the cull for our parish are many.
