NFU to underwrite badger cull trapping costs
The National Farmer's Union (NFU) has announced that it will underwrite costs incurred by farmers due to the requirements of cage trapping badgers in the pilot areas for the proposed culls in West Somerset and West Gloucestershire should controlled shooting not be chosen as the primary control method.
The NFU has estimated that the expense of the cages could as much as double the cost of the programme, therefore placing additional strain on farmers and landowners which is likely to be 'prohibitive' in the current economic climate. An exact figure for the total expenditure required of the NFU should this course of action become necessary has not been stated, but observers have speculated that it would likely be considerable.
Commenting, President of the NFU Peter Kendall said “The NFU Governance board has agreed to cover the costs if [Professor] Christopher Wathes’ panel rules against the continuation of controlled shooting and we have to resort to cage trapping and shooting. We feel it would be unjust for the 450 or so farmers in the pilot areas to have to pay this when they are demonstrating free shooting on behalf of future areas from hereon after.”
