GEOFFREY Cox, MP for West Devon and Torridge, has expressed ?satisfaction? with the visit of the House of Commons Select Committee to Torridge last week as part of its inquiry into Bovine TB. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs say that Bovine TB ?is one of the most difficult animal health problems currently facing the farming industry in Great Britain?. Mr Cox is a member of the select DEFRA committee and had strongly urged the cross-party group of MPs to visit the constituency, one of the worst affected in the country. The committee visited a farm in Shebbear, which has been under restrictions for several years, and learned at first hand from farmers and vets of the impact of the disease on farming families and businesses. Badgers are carriers of the bacteria that causes Bovine TB, M.bovis. It is believed badgers are the main cause of transmitting the disease to cattle, however, after the randomised badger culling trial, it was concluded that badger culling could make ?no real difference? to the control of Bovine TB. The committee also visited a llama farm near Crediton, where half the unique breeding herd of llamas had been wiped out by Bovine TB. The MPs heard that, in each case, the farmers had operated ?closed herds? and had found sick or dying badgers on their farm before the outbreak of the infection. Mr Cox said: ?I believe my colleagues were deeply impressed with the dignified eloquence of those who spoke about their experiences and shocked by the destructiveness of the disease on herds and on farming livelihoods. The government can no longer postpone the urgently needed action to control the disease in wildlife, which DEFRA accepts is an important factor in the spread of infection here in Torridge, by a locally targeted, humane cull in heavily infected areas. ?I shall be putting this point forcefully to the Secretary of State, Hilary Benn, when he gives evidence before us next week.?
