Badgers targeted, but not supermarkets

"We will be prepared to consider badger culling if the evidence [as a means of controlling bovine TB] supports this as a cost-effective, proportionate and sustainable contribution to disease control," the Environment Secretary, Margaret Beckett, told delegates to the English NFU’s annual conference. But she shied away from the same tough treatment for supermarkets, preferring to leave that to the findings of the Office of Fair Trade, due to report soon.

Farmers have pinpointed badgers as the major cause of the spread of TB in cattle in recent years, an accusation apparently borne out by an Irish culling trial which has coincided with a drop in TB incidence.

The Depart for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has also been reportedly put under pressure by the Exchequer to cut spending, almost 90 million in the last complete year.

"I welcome the report of the Irish trial and we are now considering independent scientific evidence on the significance of the findings for Great Britain," said Beckett.

The British investigation, known as the Krebs trials, is due to finish later this year, with a report due in 2006.

She was less forthright when Tim Bennett, English NFU resident, asked for a harder line by government on its largely ineffective code of practice on supply contracts with leading supermarkets. "We are seeing more and more abuse of power; and there have been some frightening and well publicised examples in recent weeks," he said, revealing details of a buyers’ charter being headed by the union.

Beckett said that government would consider "very carefully" the findings of the OFT report, adding: "Supermarkets have to recognise that, in the long run, they and their customers need a sustainable UK-based supply chain, and that it is not in their interests to squeeze suppliers to the point of elimination."