Industry-led badger culling ends as Government weighs new bovine TB strategy

The Government has welcomed expert recommendations for a new bovine TB strategy, confirming that 2025 was the final year of industry-led badger culling in England’s High Risk and Edge Areas. The Government has confirmed that the 2025 season was the final year of industry-led badger culling in England’s High Risk and Edge Areas, as it published a package of expert recommendations for the next phase of its bovine TB eradication strategy. The recommendations, drawn up by an independent steering group of farmers, scientists, vets and academics and welcomed by Defra on 10 June, set a goal of TB-free status for England by 2038. They focus on intervening earlier through strengthened cattle controls, improved surveillance, enhanced testing and vaccination, while supporting what Defra called the long-term transition away from widespread badger culling.

Background on the badger cull decision

Culling has been carried out by licensed operators, including trained marksmen working under Natural England licences. With industry-led culling in the High Risk and Edge Areas now concluded, Defra says it is rolling out a new badger vaccination field force, wider gamma-interferon testing of cattle, and a “badger found dead” surveillance programme to track the disease in wild populations.

Farming minister Dame Angela Eagle said the Government was “on farmers’ side”, adding: “By working together, we can protect animal health and help British agriculture succeed as we move towards our goal of achieving TB free status for England by 2038.”

UK Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Christine Middlemiss said bovine TB was “a complex disease and eradicating it requires a sustained, evidence-led disease control approach”, with the recommendations reflecting “the importance of early detection, effective ongoing surveillance and robust disease controls”.

What does it mean for the countryside?

Ministers will now consider the steering group’s findings, published in full on the TB Hub, before setting out the next phase of the strategy. Reaction from farming and conservation bodies is expected as the recommendations are studied.