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Defra extends badger cull consultation
The constulation has been extended by three weeks.
The government wants to keep culling as an option in fight against bTB.

A public consultation on retaining badger culling as part of the government’s bovine tuberculosis (bTB) eradication strategy for England has been extended by three weeks.

Originally due to end on 22 April 2024, the consultation will now close on 13 May 2024. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) says that it has extended the deadline in order to give people more time to reply.

The proposals would see badger culling kept as an option in areas where there are high levels of cattle infections and evidence suggesting that badgers are playing a role in spreading the disease. The culls would be reviewed annually by the UK’s chief veterinary officer.

The proposals also include plans to extend badger vaccination programmes, including in areas where badger culling has ended. The government aims to eradicate bTB in England by 2038.

Lawyers representing the animal welfare organisations Badger Trust and Wild Justice recently wrote to Defra arguing that the consultation is unlawful due to omissions in the consultation materials provided. Defra has responded directly to the letter.

Badger Trust has claimed the extension to the consultation is a result of their actions.

Peter Hambly, executive director of Badger Trust, said: “Extending the response time for a flawed consultation is a start, and it wouldn’t have happened without the challenge by Badger Trust and Wild Justice.”

Image © Shutterstock

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Germany livestock import ban lifted

The UK government has amended its ban on the import of livestock, meat and dairy products from Germany.

Defra said the decision follows 'rigorous technical assessment' of the measures applied and the current situation. "If the situation changes, we will not hesitate to take necessary action in response to the FMD outbreaks in the European Union to protect our domestic biosecurity," it said.

The ban was implemented in January following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) near Berlin. Personal imports of meat, milk and dairy products will remain in place at a country level.