The Environment Secretary's announcement about the postponement of the badger cull has been welcomed by the RSPB.
Martin Harper is the Society's conservation director. He said: “These culls have proved to be extremely divisive. The science suggests that culling will not deliver the solution to this serious and urgent problem. This announcement suggests that farmers and badgers will be in exactly the same situation next summer.
"This window gives Owen Paterson an opportunity to lead the Government out of this muddle by embracing a vaccination programme, giving a lifeline to livestock farmers and badgers.”
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