The Farmers' Union of Wales today accused the Badger Trust of "failing to tell black from white" when dealing with basic facts about badgers after it slammed the BBC for using the trust's own badger population figures.
In a letter sent today to BBC director general Mark Thompson, the trust's chairman David Williams demands to know where the makers of a Radio 4 programme obtained an estimate of UK badger population numbers.
Mr Williams wrote: "The Trust also notes with regret that the BBC gave an unattributed assertion in the programme that the badger population has surged to an estimated 300,000.
"Please give the reference(s) for this figure and any scientific basis for the clear implication in the programme that legal protection had caused a 'surge'," the letter added.
But the figure is stated clearly in the Badger Trust's own "Eurasian Badger Factsheet" which reveals that badger numbers have increased to "a total estimated population of around 300,000".
FUW vice president Brian Walters said: "The Badger Trust has a track record of misinterpreting the science relating to badgers and bovine TB and this letter suggests they can't grasp basic facts and figures even when published by themselves.
"It confirms our suspicion that they are failing to tell black from white when it comes to all issues relating to badgers and bovine TB."