As the English badger cull draws nearer members of Team Badger, the coalition of animal welfare groups formed to tackle the Government’s plans, have launched a multi-faceted campaign of action encompassing lobbying, research, awareness-raising and widespread campaigning.
Amidst calls for a boycott of milk from farms where badgers are culled, Care for the Wild commissioned a You Gov poll which showed that 35% of consumers who buy organic produce were ‘likely’ to boycott milk from farms that cull badgers. Of those surveyed, 50% identified themselves as organic consumers, meaning the repercussions for the organic milk industry could be catastrophic if shoppers act on their concerns.
Care for the Wild have created a new badger friendly label for ‘Cull Free Farms’ which they are calling on producers to implement so that consumers can make informed decisions about whether they wish to support the cull.
The consumer desire to back farmers who don’t support the cull has been an increasingly prominent element of the anti-cull campaign. In just over a fortnight, 3558 e-mails were sent to supermarkets via the Network for Animals ‘Don’t Make Mine Milk’ campaign platform. While Waitrose, M&S and Co-op still retain a neutral position, many of the leading supermarkets have controversially chosen to back the Government’s policy of culling badgers in a misguided attempt to solve the bTB crisis.
Network for Animals call on concerned to consumers to write to supermarkets, highlighting their concerns regarding milk from farms that cull badgers and the need for clearer ‘Badger Friendly’ labeling.
*Team Badger is a coalition of national, local and grass roots animal welfare organisations representing millions of compassionate citizens. We reject the government’s policy of badger culling as unsound, unscientific and unacceptable. We believe the most effective and legitimate way to oppose the shooting of badgers is through peaceful and legal protest supported by reasoned argument, scientific facts and legal challenge.
