READING last week's editorial, "Badger cull back on the agenda" and the article on page 27, announcing the new badger cull plan for Wales, one could be excused for thinking that it was a done deal already. But your readers might be interested in the small print of the advice given to the Minister Elin Jones AM. She was told: "You must embark on the consultation exercise with an open mind and be prepared to change your mind in the light of the responses you may receive from the public".

Elin Jones has rejected the history; for example, the reduction of bTB in 1972 from 40 per cent down to one per cent, with no badgers being killed. She has rejected the findings of science; for example the far-reaching Defra report which concludes that "in the eradication of bTB, badger culling has no meaningful part to play". She has rejected the recent findings of the appeal court judges and still she goes on intending to kill our wildlife.

When will she and her advisors realise what is screamingly obvious, the answer lies in good husbandry and in good veterinary skills.

Measures on cattle alone are enough to control this disease. But the powerful farmer's lobby refuses to acknowledge this. Facts — what have they got to do with anything?

David Petersen

St Clears.