CAMPAIGNERS against the badger cull in Warwickshire have taken their protest to NFU Mutual’s headquarters near Stratford.
Protestors from Warwickshire Against the Cull demonstrated peacefully outside the insurance firm’s Tiddington offices this week ahead of the cull, which is expected to begin across the county over the coming weeks. They targeted the company due to its links with the National Farmers Union (NFU).
Campaigners say some 67,000 animals have been shot since 2013 under government orders, in a bid to control the spread of tuberculosis in cattle.
A spokesman said: “With the badger cull entering it’s seventh year we’re highlighting the financial links between the NFU and NFU Mutual.
“As well as providing insurance to three quarters of the UKs farmers, NFU Mutual are proud supporters of the farming unions and in the last five years alone have given the NFU in excess of £31million. This money given year on year has enabled the NFU to carry out its activities, one of which is supporting the badger cull.”
But NFU Mutual said it had no involvement in the controversial cull.
A spokeswoman told the Observer: “We can confirm a small group of people were protesting against the badger cull outside our head office in Stratford.
“While we understand the issue is an emotive one for many people, NFU Mutual is an insurance company not a political organisation and therefore has no influence over government agricultural policy.
“Our role as a rural insurer is to help our members to work safely and to protect their property.”
