Dan Rogerson MP for North Cornwall

Responding to news that the UK Government is to receive €10m of EU funding for its Bovine TB Eradication programme, North Cornwall’s MP, and a member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, Dan Rogerson, said:

“This is very welcome news, but the question will be how wisely the Government spends this money.

“The new funding should be used to identify the disease more quickly, and compensate farmers more comprehensively where cattle are destroyed.

“Development of further vaccines is an important, but not a sufficient step to tackle this problem.

“The Government needs to face the reality that some difficult decisions on badger culls in areas like Cornwall, with hard borders, are necessary.  Clearly, these should be guided by scientific research into what is effective, but Ministers have a responsibility not to dither so long that more animals have to die, and more farmers lose their livelihoods.”