22/08/07
The NFU is calling for a detailed and rigorous review of the
Government’s revised proposals for implementing the EU
Nitrates Directive, after a consultation paper published this
week revealed that as much as 70 per cent of farmland in England
could be designated as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone.
Under the new proposals farmers would be required to have five
to six months’ slurry storage - a move which would impact
particularly heavily on the dairy sector, costing tens of thousands
of pounds per farm.
The NFU says that this might be justified if the measures were likely
to produce an improvement in water quality proportionate to the huge
costs, estimated even by Defra at up to £48 million a year. But
the NFU can see no justification for such a draconian approach against
a background of falling nitrate levels in rivers, and a continuing dispute
over the science underpinning the Nitrates Directive.
The main changes that the NFU will be calling for include:
- No more land to be designated as NVZ than can be justified
by the science, and that would certainly be much less than 70
per cent of farmland in England
- The Government to offer capital
grants, as in Northern Ireland, to assist farmers in complying
with the new requirements
- The additional storage requirements
and other measures not to apply in those areas which qualify
for de-designation under the latest NVZ methodology, or where
the objectives of the Nitrates Directive are already being achieved
- A realistic timetable for implementation
- A continuation of the derogation
from the 170kgN/ha whole farm manure limit so that larger amounts
can be applied in circumstances where it is safe to do so
- The
exploration of imaginative alternatives such as anaerobic digestion
that give sustainability gains
NFU President Peter Kendall said: “I am concerned that for some
this may be the final straw. I am all for farmers reducing their impact
on the environment but we must ensure that affected farms are given time
to adapt and therefore can remain viable businesses.
“The NFU is prepared to work closely with Defra on this issue
and we will be seeking substantial changes to the action programme and
a package of assistance that will help farmers meet the demanding requirements
of the Nitrates Directive.”
FMD - Important Week for Scottish Livestock Sector
NFU Scotland Requests Fuel Duty Cancellation
Agricultural Link with Crofting Vital, Says NFUS |