Labour’s plan to end badger culling by 2029 is achievable but would require a Covid-style focus on testing and vaccinating, according to a government-commissioned report.
The review, led by Sir Charles Godfray, warns that without significant new investment, ministers have only a “small chance” of eradicating bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in England by 2038. The disease costs taxpayers and farmers about £150m a year, with more than 210,000 badgers culled since 2013.
Godfray said badgers can spread bTB to cattle, but culling is not the only solution. The report recommends scaling up vaccination of cattle and badgers, microchipping cattle to track movements, and using more accurate blood tests alongside standard skin tests.
“There is a threat from badgers and if we are going to move away from a cull we need to move towards non-lethal control,” Godfray said. “Vaccination is a realistic way to stop bovine TB in badgers, but considerable work will have to be done to scale it up.”
The report notes that investment now would save money in the future. Prof James Wood, a veterinary epidemiologist at Cambridge, said cattle vaccination could greatly reduce transmission, especially in large herds.
Farming minister Daniel Zeichner welcomed the findings, highlighting a record year for badger vaccination in 2024 and plans for a new vaccinator field force, as well as ongoing cattle vaccine development. A full eradication strategy is expected early next year.
