8. Reaction
Campaigners claim cows have been unfairly blamed for BSE.
An episode of the The Cows Are Mad podcast, hosted by BBC Radio 4, titled "8. Reaction" was published on October 23, 2023 and runs 14 minutes.
October 23, 2023 ·14m · The Cows Are Mad
Summary
Organic farmer Mark Purdey’s followers roll their concerns about pesticides into the public inquiry into BSE. A group of farmers who claim they were poisoned by pesticides join forces with green activists and work to get their own fears about neurological disorders in rural Britain onto the news agenda. They fail to convince government scientists that pesticides are to blame for BSE, but their trust in mainstream science is destroyed forever – then Covid hits. Written, presented and produced by Lucy Proctor
Episode Description
Organic farmer Mark Purdey’s followers roll their concerns about pesticides into the public inquiry into BSE. A group of farmers who claim they were poisoned by pesticides join forces with green activists and work to get their own fears about neurological disorders in rural Britain onto the news agenda.
They fail to convince government scientists that pesticides are to blame for BSE, but their trust in mainstream science is destroyed forever – then Covid hits.
Written, presented and produced by Lucy Proctor
Similar Episodes
Apr 10, 2026 ·180m
Apr 9, 2026 ·180m
Apr 9, 2026 ·10m
Apr 8, 2026 ·180m