Calls for evidence-based discussion about TB raised amid release of Brian May documentary
23rd August 2024
Farming communities have called for “balanced and evidence-based” discussion following backlash on a bovine TB documentary presented by Sir Brian May.
The BBC has recently been accused of spreading misinformation in a documentary about badger culling led by the Queen guitarist, as he was arguing that badgers are not responsible for the spread of TB among cattle.
The programme, due to air at 9pm on Friday 23rd August, will present the findings of a four-year experiment on farmer Robert Reed’s farm to eradicate bTB without culling badgers.
On August 21st, AHDB said that the members are “deeply concerned” that Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers, and Me risks oversimplifying the complex issue of bovine TB, potentially misleading viewers by placing undue blame on cattle.
Their statement continues: ‘It’s essential that coverage of such critical topics is accurate and evidence-based. We’ve reached out to BBC, urging them to present a balanced view of bovine TB.
‘It appears there was no consultation with key industry bodies like AHDB or veterinary groups during the production. Instead of presenting a comprehensive view, the show leans heavily on opinions, often sidelining established science and evidence.
‘Our key concern is that the TB control measures highlighted in the programme are portrayed as a universal solution. However, some of these methods fall outside current legislation, making them unrealistic for most farms to implement.’
‘Villain’ in some farming communities
The Telegraph said that Sir Brian’s high-profile campaign to stop this cull for more than a decade has turned him into a “villain” in some farming communities, and his role in the documentary has prompted accusations of bias by the BBC.
On August 22nd Brian May’s Save Me Trust posted on X: ‘After a week of AHDB and another trying to stop you seeing our program this George Orwell statement seemed very appropriate at the BBC last night – If liberty means anything at all it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear, George Orwell.’
After a week of @TheAHDB and another trying to stop you seeing our program this George Orwell statement seemed very appropriate at the BBC last night – If liberty means anything at all it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear
— Brian May's Save Me Trust (@AnneatSaveMe) August 22, 2024
George Orwell pic.twitter.com/setpUoiow6
Accurate information is crucial
AHDB responded to his comment by saying: “AHDB is not trying to stop the programme but advocates for a balanced, evidence-based discussion.
“TB is a complex issue, and accurate information is crucial. It’s not about silencing voices but ensuring that all perspectives, especially those rooted in science, are heard.”
Huge blind spot
Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, commented on the situation by saying: “There is plenty of criticism of the BBC that is unjustified.
“Countryfile might be light entertainment, but it is generally balanced. BBC news reporting on rural issues is largely fair, if sometimes a little patronising.
“Where the corporation has a huge blind spot, however, is when ‘celebrities’ become involved. In fairness, it is not alone in this and large parts of society seem to consider that fame is a better indicator of expertise than experience or academic qualifications.”
Mr Bonner said that BBC’s latest journey into the countryside lies “right at the centre of this blind spot”.
He added: “Surely any BBC commissioning editor might have thought more than once about a documentary on bovine TB and the badger cull entitled “Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers and Me”?
“Apart from the rampant egotism suggested by the title, there was one very obvious question to be answered by a state broadcaster that constantly stresses its commitment to balance and sets its standards above other broadcasters: will this documentary be impartial?
“Even the briefest of considerations of Sir Brian May’s back catalogue would reveal that there was no chance of that being the case.”
Read the whole article here.
Unacceptable and irresponsible
NFU president Tom Bradshaw has also written to the BBC to express the NFU’s “deep concerns” in regards to the documentary.
Speaking ahead of the broadcast, he said it is “completely unacceptable and irresponsible for Sir Brian May to have been given the platform he has by the BBC”, citing the complex and controversial nature of TB in cattle, and the “proven role badgers play in the cycle of infection on farms”.
Mr Bradshaw added that it is accepted that badgers are the main wildlife host of bTB, making badger control a key part of the bTB eradication strategy within England. The link between badger and cattle infection was first suspected in the 1970s and was proven in 1997 by Professor Sir John Krebs.
“I am also extremely concerned the impact this programme will have on the mental health of farmers who are still impacted by this terrible disease on farm.
“The toll on them and their families is huge.
“We have said this programme is fundamentally flawed. It ignores all the independent peer-reviewed science and evidence that has gone before it; science that continues to demonstrate the current TB eradication strategy is working.
“While I am sure it was well-intended, this programme focuses heavily on one farm, claiming that slurry is to blame for the widescale spread of bTB,” the NFU president concluded.
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