The Farmers' Union of Wales welcomed Defra's proposed additional measures to help control bovine TB in cattle and pledged to consult its members on today's announcement by Agriculture Minister Jim Paice.
"With Wales's long border with England there are obvious implications for our members in those areas and we will be consulting with them in order to make a full response to the Defra consultation," said the union's bTB spokesman Brian Walters.
Defra is proposing issuing licences to farmers and landowners who wish to cull and/or vaccinate badgers at their own expense.
These licences would be subject to strict licence criteria to ensure badger control is done effectively, humanely and with high regard for animal welfare.
Defra says culling will only be allowed in areas where there is a high incidence of bovine TB in cattle and following the consultation they intend to publish a comprehensive and balanced bovine TB eradication programme early in 2011.
Meanwhile in Wales the Assembly's Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones remains committed to eradicating bovine TB through a "comprehensive programme" despite a legal set-back earlier this summer on a proposed badger cull in south-west Wales.
She intends to make a statement to AMs on the matter shortly.
Mr Walters added: With the cost to the taxpayer expected to reach more than £30m this year, bTB remains a major concern for the Welsh Assembly Government and one of the most serious economic issues facing the Welsh farming industry.
"And for those forced to watch their businesses being closed down and their animals removed for slaughter, the emotional cost is one that cannot be assigned a monetary value."