Increasing urbanisation, road building, and the development of quarries to provide raw materials has led to the loss of many badger setts in Britain while changes of land use due to agriculture have had major impacts, especially in parts of the American badger's range. Around 50,000 European badgers are killed on the roads in Britain every year. In the UK (1998) there were estimated to be around 42,000 social groups of badgers, and just under 200,000 adult badgers. By 1997 this had risen to just over 50,000 social groups and 310,000 adult badgers. The population is now probably stable. Mortality is high, with around one-fifth of adults dying each year. Some badgers are infected with bovine tuberculosis, particularly in the south west of England. These animals are the subject of a control campaign by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. There is a continuing debate about the role of badgers infecting cattle with tuberculosis.