The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has written to the BBC to express its “deep concern” ahead of the airing of a new documentary presented by Queen guiatrist Brian May on bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB).
The BBC documentary ‘Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers and Me’ examines the results of a research project which focused on the crisis caused by TB on one farm family and also highlights his opposition to the UK’s ongoing badger cull.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw said it is “completely unacceptable and irresponsible for Brian May to have been given the platform he has by the BBC”.
The union asserted that it is accepted that “badgers are the main wildlife host of bTB”, making badger control a key part of the bovine TB eradication strategy within England.
The NFU also cited research into the bacteria that causes bovine TB highlighting that cattle are approximately 10 times more likely to catch bovine TB from badgers than badgers are to catch it from cattle.
‘Huge’ toll on farming families
Bradshaw said he is “extremely concerned” over the impact this programme will have on the mental health of farmers who are still impacted by the disease on farm.
“The toll on them and their families is huge. We have said this programme is fundamentally flawed,” he said.
“It ignores all the independent peer-reviewed science and evidence that has gone before it; science that continues to demonstrate the current TB eradication strategy is working.”
“While I am sure it was well-intended, this programme focuses on one farm only.”
Bradshaw believes that the programme is “anecdotal” in nature and said that its claim that slurry is to blame for the wide-scale spread of bTB is dangerous.
Research by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), has determined the possibility that bovine TB is spread through cattle faeces as very low.
“The case study farm used to evidence May’s theory has unfortunately since suffered further bTB breakdowns,” Bradshaw said.
Brian May’s documentary is set to air tonight (Friday, August 23) on BBC2 at 9:00p.m.
