Labour’s pledge to end the badger cull by 2029 can only succeed if the government adopts a Covid-style push on testing and vaccination, according to a new report.
The review, led by Sir Charles Godfray, warns that ministers have only a “small chance” of eradicating bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in England by the current 2038 target without a major boost in funding and urgency. More than 210,000 badgers have been killed since culling began in 2013, with bTB costing taxpayers and the cattle industry an estimated £150m a year.
Godfray stressed that badgers do spread the disease to cattle, but said this does not automatically justify lethal control. Instead, he argued, vaccination programmes and more accurate cattle testing must be scaled up, supported by farmer engagement and measures such as microchipping livestock.
The report highlights lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic, urging ministers to apply the same urgency and resources to tackling bTB. Scientists say investment now will save money in the long term, while also making it possible to phase out culling.
Farming minister Daniel Zeichner said the government remained committed to eradicating bTB, citing record badger vaccinations in 2024 and continued work on a cattle vaccine, with a new strategy to be published in 2025.
