I WAS dismayed to see that the Welsh Assembly is pushing ahead with slaughtering badgers in a misguided attempt to protect the dairy industry.

Although I live outside Wales, I have taken the decision to boycott all Welsh dairy products.

If England decides to follow suit I will have no choice but to extend my boycott here.

I can no longer support an industry that is the reason for the systematic extermination of our native wildlife.

Badgers will be decimated in parts of Wales in the vain attempt to prevent the spread of bovine TB — lured to their deaths with peanut 'treats' trapped in cages and callously shot. This, despite the largest ever study into bovine TB pointing out that it will not work and might actually make the situation worse.

The real reasons for this 'cull' are bad farming practices, and incompetent agricultural policies, with huge numbers of cattle movements; insufficient cattle testing; as well as an increase in herd sizes, which has meant that cattle are more susceptible to disease.

In England a non-violent programme of inoculation is currently leading the way, but the Welsh Assembly has stubbornly refused to halt the bloodshed. It is my grave concern that this policy will be extended outside Wales, as farmers are increasingly pushing for badgers to be killed here, too.

I am boycotting Welsh dairy and adopting cruelty-free-based alternatives and I will be encouraging my family and all my friends to do likewise.

If you would like to find out more, please visit www.viva.org.uk/badgers.

Frances Wicks

Alphington Road

Exeter