Some research approaches from political science The politics of endemic diseases of cattle

A very fortunate cow

Bovine TB: policy failure? Extensive files in National Archives up to 1992 A very difficult issue for ministers and civil servants Referred up to prime minister Ministers only saw damage to their political reputations – hostile media

Some policy strategies External reports, some of which caused even more trouble Constructions of reality – the rogue badger Folkington Bowl incident Resort to stakeholder forums to reconcile divergent interests – inside tent

Current situation Reactor numbers increasing Impacting on relationship between farmers and government and development of animal health strategy Disagreement about evidence base Policy experiment in Wales Become a partisan issue

The cultural politics of Brock

Animal welfare issues Mentioned as important unprompted at maximum by 2 per cent of voters, prompts can push up to 6-7 per cent Well organised and funded stakeholder groups represent intensity of feeling Willingness to resort to direct action Highly emotional

Political diseases model Which diseases acquire political salience and why? Varies over time and by country Model in development and applied to endemic diseases of cattle in UK and Australia Initial list produced by discussion within team

Five groups of factors Links with human health Political factors (5) Management factors (6) International effects (3)

Political factors Level of public/media awareness of disease Position of key industry stakeholder groups Position of animal welfare groups Does controlling the disease involve an animal living in the wild? (NB: ferals) International animal health reputation

UK-Australia differentiators Importance of agricultural trade Pride in Australia’s reputation Policy innovation – biosecurity Historic experience of exotic incursions Awareness of fragility of ecology Much of this relates to exotics

Bovine Johnes’ disease Quite extensive programmes in Australia Inter-state tensions Concerns about trade impacts But above all concern about the reported but unproven association between BJD and Crohn’s disease

More work to be done Weighting of factors, but zoonosis status is important Running model against different diseases to make comparisons and also between UK and Australia Further work on stakeholder groups and policy, role of state vets Thanks to Defra Animal Welfare Team

Some questions Is there a useful political science contribution to the study of endemic diseases of cattle? Why are some diseases more politically salient than others? ranthttp://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/pais/staff/g rant