Sign in Subscribe
BCG

UK Government to End Badger Culling Policy

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The UK Government has confirmed that it will be ending the policy of badger culling to tackle bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in England, after a decade-long approach that has seen over 230,000 badgers killed since 2013. The decision follows intense pressure from campaigners and cross-party MPs to adopt science-led, non-lethal alternatives. A public petition calling for an immediate end to badger culling, created by Robert Pownall of Protect the Wild, attracted over 102,000 signatures.

Key Takeaways:

  • The UK Government has committed to ending the badger cull by 2025, with only one cull licence remaining active after this season, covering a TB hot spot in a low-risk area.
  • The Government aims to replace culling with a combination of enhanced cattle testing, better farm biosecurity, and mass badger and cattle vaccination, as part of a strategy to eradicate bTB in England by 2038.
  • A refreshed eradication strategy is currently being co-designed with farmers, vets, scientists, and conservationists, drawing on the 2023 update to the Godfray Review, which highlighted the importance of non-lethal interventions and reducing contact between badgers and cattle.
  • MPs have called for improved diagnostics, citing data that shows 94% of bTB cases are the result of cow-to-cow transmission, and that Scotland, which ended badger culling in 2012, has held official TB-free status since 2009.
  • The current testing regime is described as "flawed and failing," with calls for enhanced testing to be made available in officially TB-free herds.
  • The Government has committed to scaling up badger vaccinations across large, contiguous areas, while advancing the cattle vaccine "at pace," with the aim of replacing culling with vaccination, strengthened surveillance, better biosecurity, and a cattle vaccine and a Diva test.

Statistics:

  • Over 230,000 badgers have been killed since 2013.
  • The petition created by Robert Pownall of Protect the Wild attracted over 102,000 signatures.
  • The total cost of the disease to the public purse is estimated to be over £100 million per year.
  • £23 million was paid in compensation to farmers in 2024.
  • 94% of bTB cases are the result of cow-to-cow transmission.
  • Scotland has held official TB-free status since 2009.
  • Over 4,000 badgers were vaccinated in 2024.

Sources:

  • [1] Government statement on badger culling.
  • [2] Robert Pownall, Protect the Wild petition.
  • [3] Veterinary Record study on Wales' bTB incidence.
  • [4] Godfray Review 2023 update.
  • [5] Badger Trust data on bTB cases.
  • [6] University of Cambridge study on bTB spread.

Read more