Posted: Friday 5th October 2012 by Gordon
Following a meeting of interested organisations and individuals initiated by members of the farming industry a Declaration has been put before Owen Patterson the DEFRA Secretary of State. A copy of the letter which I signed on behalf of the Trust has been sent to the press.
3 October 2012
The Letters Editor
Daily Mail
By email.
Bovine TB and Cattle Vaccination
While vaccination is the response to most infectious diseases, with cattle and Bovine TB it is the one weapon in the disease management armoury which has yet to be deployed.
A vaccine against Bovine TB for cattle (along with the associated DIVA test which differentiates between infected and vaccinated animals) has been developed and is ready to licence, but is held up by regulatory and European legal obstacles. Meanwhile farmers are being misled into believing that cattle vaccination is many years away.
Following a meeting of interested organisations and individuals the following Declaration has been put to Owen Patterson the new DEFRA Minister:
"Now that a cattle vaccine is ready for licensing, we are convinced that the only way to control bovine TB and hence avoid the devastating and costly current Bovine TB policy is to vaccinate all bovine animals and where necessary wildlife.
We therefore call on the Government to take immediate action to eliminate all legal and political obstacles preventing farmers from vaccinating their cattle against Bovine TB.
We represent a cross section of scientists, veterinarians, farmers and conservationists concerned about the impact of bovine TB on the farming industry and countryside."
We await his response with interest.
Yours faithfully
Kate McNeil Farmer, Yorkshire
Jean and Keith Morgan Farmers, Carmarthenshire
Steve Jones Farmer, Gloucestershire
Peter Pennington Legh Farmer, Wiltshire
Cliff and Maureen Carnell Farmers, Carmarthenshire
Chris and Mary Wheeler Farmers, Pembrokeshire
Rebecca Hosking Farms for the Future
Dr Mark Jones, Vet and Executive Director of Humane Society International
Brian Davies, Founder, Network for Animals
Sally Hall Bovinetb.co.uk Cattle Vaccination Campaign
Lorraine Platt Founder, Blue Badger
Dr. Chris Cheeseman Ecologist
Dr. Gordon McGlone Chief Executive, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
Celia Thomas Farmer and Chair of Pembrokeshire Against the Cull
Jeff Hayden Finance Director, Badger Trust
Michael Ritchie Rethink Bovine TB
Lucy Borde Brock Vaccination
Chris Skinner Farmer, conservationist and broadcaster
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