Boycott Welsh dairy letters!

Below are letters for you to personalise and send to both the local media and to the Welsh Assembly. Note: there are different ones for Welsh and English residents.

Letters to the editor

Send a letter to your local press. It's a great way to reach people who might not otherwise know about the issues. Your local paper is also far more likely to print a letter from you than from a round-robin letter sent from us. If you need help finding out the contact details of you local paper get in touch and we'll see if we can help. Note: there has been no indication that 'culling' will happen in Scotland. For Northern Ireland, slightly adjust the English letter.

Welsh resident  

"Dear letters to the editor

As a proud resident of [your town or county] in Wales, I am supporting a boycott of all Welsh dairy products.

Despite my pride in my country, I can no longer support an industry that is the reason for the systematic extermination of our native wildlife. Badgers will be exterminated in parts of Wales in the vain attempt to prevent the spread of bovine TB - lured to their deaths with peanut 'treats'; trapped and callously shot. This despite the largest ever study into bovine TB pointing out that it will not work and might actually make the situation worse.

The Welsh Assembly has ignored the will of its people, and it has ignored common sense and science. Seemingly in an attempt to protect the seats of rural politicians and to pacify farmers, it has set us on a course to scapegoat one of our most beautiful wild animals. They have even admitted that if 'culling' extends across all of Wales, badgers could be wiped out from certain areas in a slaughter that may last until the 2030s.

In England, inoculation is leading the way, but in a particularly bone-headed decision, the Welsh Assembly has stubbornly refused to halt the bloodshed. The methods they are employing in North Pembrokeshire are unscientific and will be difficult to assess (they are also putting in place stricter cattle controls in the area, so a clear picture of what works or doesn't work will be impossible to ascertain). Any drop in TB, however, is sure to be erroneously attributed to killing badgers.

The real reasons for this 'cull' are bad farming practices and incompetent agricultural polices - with huge numbers of cattle movements; insufficient cattle testing; as well as an increase in herd sizes, which has meant that cattle are more susceptible to disease. 

I for one will no longer support an industry that demands the slaughter of native wildlife whilst ignoring its own many shortcomings. I am boycotting Welsh dairy - and adopting cruelty-free plant based alternatives - and I will be encouraging all my friends and family to do likewise.

If you would like to find out more visit www.viva.org.uk/badgers

Yours faithfully"
 

English resident

"Dear letters to the editor

I was dismayed to hear that the Welsh Assembly is pushing ahead with slaughtering badgers in a misguided attempt to protect the dairy industry. Although I live outside of Wales I have taken the decision to boycott all Welsh dairy products. If England decides to follow suit, I will have no choice but to extend my boycott here.

I can no longer support an industry that is the reason for the systematic extermination of our native wildlife. Badgers will be decimated in parts of Wales in the vain attempt to prevent the spread of bovine TB - lured to their deaths with peanut 'treats'; trapped in cages and callously shot. This despite the largest ever study into bovine TB pointing out that it will not work and might actually make the situation worse.

The real reasons for this 'cull' are bad farming practices and incompetent agricultural policies - with huge numbers of cattle movements; insufficient cattle testing; as well as an increase in herd sizes, which has meant that cattle are more susceptible to disease. 

In England, a non-violent programme of inoculation is currently leading the way, but the Welsh Assembly has stubbornly refused to halt the bloodshed. It is my grave concern that this policy will be extended outside of Wales, as farmers are increasingly pushing for badgers to be killed here, too.

I for one will no longer support an industry that demands the slaughter of native wildlife whilst ignoring its own many shortcomings. I am boycotting Welsh dairy - and adopting cruelty-free plant based alternatives - and I will be encouraging all my friends and family to do likewise.

If you would like to find out more visit www.viva.org.uk/badgers

Yours faithfully"

Please write a polite letter to Elin Jones AM, the Minister for Rural Affairs (whether you live in Wales or not!):

Elin Jones AM
National Assembly for Wales
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff
CF99 1NA  

Or email: elin.jones@wales.gov.uk

"Dear Minister

I was extremely disappointed to hear that you are pressing ahead with the systematic destruction of badgers in parts of Wales - and I wish to inform you that I have pledged to boycott all Welsh dairy products. This is a move I fully intend to encourage all of my friends and family to also adopt.

It is clear to me that the 'cull' of badgers in Wales is a politically motivated one - and is not based on sound science. It flies in the face of the advice of the Independent Scientific Group, which found that killing badgers may actually help spread bovine TB. It is also telling that there are seemingly no scientific controls governing the pilot 'cull' in North Pembrokeshire - whilst increased cattle controls and badger slaughter occur at the same time it will be impossible to tell what, if anything, works to limit the spread of the disease.

The Welsh Assembly has steadfastly refused to listen to public opinion, reason or common sense on this subject. I am disgusted that the disastrously misguided wishes of farmers seem to trump scientific opinion. Therefore I have no choice but to stop supporting the very industry that has provided the catalyst for this wildlife massacre.

Finally, I urge you to reconsider this policy, and introduce a non-violent programme of inoculation in the badger population before exploring other options.  

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely"