Labour’s plan to end badger culling by 2029 could succeed but requires a major push on testing and vaccination, according to a government-commissioned report.
Sir Charles Godfray, who authored the review, warned that ministers have only a “small chance” of meeting the current target to eradicate bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in England by 2038 without significant new investment. The disease costs taxpayers and farmers around £150m a year, and over 210,000 badgers have been culled since 2013.
The report confirms that badgers can spread bTB to cattle but says culling is not the only option. It recommends non-lethal measures such as vaccinating badgers, microchipping cattle to monitor movements, and using more accurate blood tests alongside standard skin tests.
“Vaccination is a realistic way to stop bovine TB in badgers, but considerable work will have to be done to scale it up,” Godfray said. “We saw during the Covid-19 pandemic how things can move much faster when there is real focus on the disease. We want to see the same for this disease.”
The study highlighted that current investment in testing and vaccination is insufficient and urged more government funding and farmer engagement. Prof James Wood, a veterinary epidemiologist involved in the report, said improved testing and vaccination in cattle could significantly reduce transmission in herds.
Farming minister Daniel Zeichner welcomed the findings, noting a record year for badger vaccination in 2024 and plans for a new field force, along with the development of a cattle vaccine. A full strategy to eradicate bTB by 2038 is expected to be published early next year.
