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Stephen Crabb - furthest right - inspects a badger sett with FUW Pembrokeshire members.[/caption]
Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb has visited a farm near Neyland to hear first hand how bovine TB restrictions continue to affect the farming community in his constituency.
His visit, organised by the Farmers' Union of Wales, took place just as the UK Coalition Government launched a consultation on bovine TB calling for individuals to submit views on the launch of a carefully-managed and science-led policy of badger control, as part of a package of measures, in areas of England with high and persistent levels of bovine TB in cattle.
The Welsh Assembly Government also announced that they would be inviting views on proposed legislation for badger culling as part of a comprehensive programme to eradicate bovine TB in cattle in West Wales.
Its draft Badger (Control Area) (Wales) Order 2010 will allow a Government-managed cull of badgers, alongside additional cattle measures, in an Intensive Action Area in North Pembrokeshire. This action comes after the Badger Trust won a court appeal against a cull in July 2010.
"We brought together farmers from across the county to discuss issues ranging from tenancy farming to affordable housing but the discussion centred on the devastating impact of bovine TB," said the FUW's Pembrokeshire county executive officer Rebecca Williams.
"The farm where the visit took place has been under restriction for bovine TB for most of the last five years and Mr Crabb also met a farmer whose herd had been wiped out by the disease."
Government statistics suggest that, in parts of Wales, bovine TB has escalated to unsustainable levels over the past 25 years. This is placing a huge financial burden on the Government, taxpayers and farmers.
After the visit Mr Crabb said: "I am pleased to have had the opportunity to meet with farmers and representatives from the FUW in Pembrokeshire.
"Farming is extremely important to Pembrokeshire's economy and way of life. It is important that we take action to ensure that farming in the UK has a viable and sustainable future.
"I was disappointed to hear that bovine TB continues to have a devastating impact on the farming community in the county. It vital that we eradicate bovine TB in Wales by tackling all sources of the disease and I welcome the recent consultations launched by the Conservative-Liberal Coalition Government in London and Plaid-Labour in the Welsh Assembly Government.
"I hope that we can now make real progress to support the farming community and eradicate the bovine TB."