Dear Minister and First Minister
We are signatories to the joint letter sent to you initially by the NFU.
GWCT Wales are disappointed with Welsh Government’s announcement that the whole of Wales will be made into a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone. We were hoping that the Welsh Government would come back with a more effective and tailored solution to the agri pollution problems we face in Wales. One that works with farmers and makes a real difference in solving the problems. We believe that NVZ regulation is a dated piece of legislation which focuses mainly on Nitrogen applied to the land, whereas we are facing far wider problems with phosphates, sediment and chemicals entering the watercourses from many activities carried out on the land within the effects of Climate Change.
We believe strongly that there is a definite and immediate need for action to tackle both point source and diffuse pollution to our watercourses; most of which are currently failing to meet basic good ecological status under the Water Framework Directive and to focus actions where problems are most acute. This is causing a catastrophic loss of fish and biodiversity in many of our rivers. However, NVZ’s are not going to deal with the fact that Wales is in a high rainfall area with much sloping ground, exacerbated by the effects of climate change. The additional bureaucracy and form filling for all farmers in this approach are unwelcome and we do not believe that it will actually solve the current pollution problems.
Nitrogen is a valuable resource to farmers and its efficient use particularly when spread as muck or slurry would benefit from further promotion by Welsh Government. In addition to this we believe that we need to rethink the way that we farm in conjunction with climate change. Soil is one of the most if not the most important asset on a farm which no farmer wants to lose. Therefore, soil protection measures are key to the future of farming.
For any regulation to succeed it needs to be easier for farmers to do the right thing rather than the alternative. Alongside future-focused regulation is the need for enforcement and proportionate fines to ensure that those few and frequent offenders are adequately disincentivised to continue polluting.
We also believe that we need to ensure that moves aimed at tackling pollution are taken in conjunction with an appraisal of the impact on the viability of farming systems particularly those which are important for conservation, for example where the grazing of cattle plays an important role in maintaining habitats and species in upland areas.
GWCT have a toolbox of actions to help farmers, including training on practices which minimise the run-off into our streams and rivers. For example, direct drilling of crops to keep land stable and reducing runoff in heavy rain. We need to ensure that there are no areas of bare soil, especially on slopes for erosion to take place. There should be riparian strips next to watercourses with tussocky perennial grass and shrub to stop any diffuse pollution for which farmers will require payment.
We have found that working with farmers through a bottom-up farmer cluster approach, where the farmers agree on the best way to work, is often the best way to meet objectives outlined by regulation. This effective approach often then leads to higher aspirations across the group helping them all improve practices. We would also like to see schemes provided where there is real value in farming using alternative environmentally sustainable methods.
We therefore ask you to please reconsider the proposed introduction of NVZ across the whole of Wales in April, and to allow us and others to work with you to develop better, innovative and futureproof regulation. We cannot emphasise enough our disappointment that Welsh Government doesn’t have greater ambition to get on top of this problem and work constructively with farmers and landowners beyond imposing a dated piece of legislation.
GWCT would welcome the opportunity to discuss their four-point plan of a better approach to the problem of farm diffuse pollution.
- Better regulation
- Effective enforcement
- Proportionate fines
- Collaborative effort
Read the joint letter here >>