I was just listening to Farming Today and heard the most unbelievable quote. Something to the effect that if the UK’s Badger Cull went forward the speaker would boycott all British raised farm goods. This is an insane position. Firstly, not all farmers are behind the badger cull. Some quite happily get along with local, healthy badger populations.  Secondly, if DEFRA, other governmental departments, and Animal Protection societies had stayed out of the issue in the first place the rural balance may have been maintained through education and common sense–just as it always has–and not through legislation which proves tricky at the best of times.  I know I live in the States, and have little firsthand knowledge of the situation, but there are similar cases here which are just as bad.

If Estate Game Keepers and Farmers had been allowed to cull sick badgers all along–as surely had been done in the past–then a healthier population would have been maintained. Smart farmers, game keepers and rural folk know the proper balance of wildlife in the country and have kept things “normalized” long before city dwelling environmentalists started whinging about disappearing rural life, marginalized animals and evil farmers.

Never before has the time been more critical–everywhere–for farmers to make their voices heard. The proposed Badger Cull is a classic example of how farmers aren’t communicating properly with the public, and how important it is they begin now! With so much public misunderstanding of agriculture, its place in maintaining the countryside, and the costs of bringing food to our tables, Farmers need all the positive press they can get, and it needs to come from them. Public misconception, environmental passion and silliness could be detrimental to farms, farmers and agriculture at a time when local support in needed most. Farmers around the globe have had a rough year and only a percentage of them will get any sort of government aid. Too often, it will be the 70% who need the government money the least, who will get the most. The other 30%, and the countless others who struggle on without any aid whatsoever are the ones who look after the countryside, help our rural economies and soldier on in the face of a great many obstacles. They are the ones who need a positive swell in public opinion and outright public support.

So, the interviewee saying he would stop supporting British raised farm goods because of a proposed badger cull not only misunderstands the issues at hand, but also misunderstands that his actions are more likely to hurt people more sympathetic to his cause than he knows. For one farmer’s view on the issues listen to Farmer Phil in Wiggly Podcast #40. I am sure Phil will be commenting about the topic on future shows as well.  In the meantime, find out what your local farmers think–head out and buy one a pint and get his opinion on the issues at hand. I am sure you’ll be as surprised by the result as he will be by the pint.

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