The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has said it is 'disappointed' that the BBC’s bovine TB documentary featuring Sir Brian May was 'missing key evidence'.
The levy board said the programme was still allowed to air despite it speaking to the BBC to share concerns about 'a number of inaccuracies' in the preview version it had seen.
The documentary ‘Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers and Me’ examined the results of a research project which focused on the crisis caused by bTB on one farm family.
Airing on Friday 23 August, the controversial documentary also highlighted Sir Brian's opposition to the UK’s ongoing badger cull.
Since 2013, the government has permitted the culling of badgers across certain parts of England to curb bovine TB, with the existing policy set to end by 2026.
However, the AHDB said the programme 'missed key evidence' that would have helped inform viewers on the facts about the disease.
It said: “We went to some effort to highlight to the BBC the importance of including peer reviewed evidence about how the disease is spread, the positive impact of badger culling on TB in cattle herds and the effectiveness of the current 25-year eradication strategy.
“This was not reflected in the final edit. Bovine TB is a complex disease, and we were pleased to see the programme highlight its impact on the mental wellbeing of farmers, as well as the devastating effect it has on animals.
“We will now take some time to further reflect on the programme before considering further action.”
Before the programme was aired, the NFU had written to the BBC to express its 'deep concern' over the documentary's contents.
The union said it was "completely unacceptable and irresponsible" for Sir Brian May to have been provided the platform he had.
It cited the complex and controversial nature of TB in cattle, and the “proven role badgers play in the cycle of infection on farms”.
Speaking about the documentary, NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: "I am 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.”
