Policy paper

UK Chief Veterinary Officer’s advice on early termination of 2021 badger disease control areas

Updated 11 April 2024

In May 2021, the government issued a response to the bovine tuberculosis (bTB) consultation. This set out provision for the UK Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) to recommend early termination for intensive cull licences issued in 2021 and 2022 after 2 or 3 years.

Cull Areas 55 to 61 inclusive began culling in September 2021, and all of them completed their second cull in late 2022. These areas are therefore eligible for consideration of early termination.

On review of the available data for these 7 areas, my view is that early termination would be sub-optimal for disease control. Therefore, my advice is not to terminate any of those culls this year.

Christine Middlemiss CB
UK Chief Veterinary Officer

March 2023