Dominic Dyer stepped down from his part-time role as boss of the Badger Trust a few weeks ago and the Daily Fail may have the reason why – click here.
An anonymous prominent farmer is reported as saying his only qualification is that he is a friend of Carrie Symonds. That was brave of the anonymous prominent farmer! Actually, Dom Dyer has a background in running a pesticides lobbying body, the Crop Protection Association (formerly known as the British Agrochemical Association) and that is pretty close to farming. He has also run the Badger Trust and written a book about the Badger cull. He would clearly be a person with a certain view of life on any such body but then so would many of the others, I guess.
I’ve met very few farmers with biological qualifications but that hasn’t constrained them from holding forth on the biology of neonics, wildlife declines, general licences or bovine tuberculosis.
Good luch Dominic!
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I wonder if said prominent farming figure jumps up and down whenever someone is appointed to the board of Natural England who does not have obvious expertise in or commitment to nature conservation? I am guessing not. I would also hazard a guess that, as far as the farmer is concerned, the problem with Dominic in this position is not really not the lack of suitable qualifications for the role (he evidently has very relevant experience and background to contribute to the group) but the fact that Dominic’s views on culling are at odds with his own.