Farmers for Action (FFA) has called for the deregulation of agriculture in the UK. But what does this mean in practical terms?
“It means that farmers will no longer be burdened with excessive red tape and the threat of penalties hanging over them all the time,” confirmed FFA spokesperson, William Taylor.
“There is obviously a need for fundamental regulations to be implemented at a nation-state level, where the likes of animal and plant health are concerned.
“And there is also a need for national government to uphold their international commitments.
“But what’s not required is the spectre of government departments controlling every aspect of a farming business.”
The FFA representative cited the outworking of Northern Ireland’s new Nitrates’ Action Programme (NAP) as a case in point.
Taylor explained: “We now have the prospect of the Department of Agriculture sending farmers phone notifications of pending extreme weather events throughout the slurry spreading season.
“These notifications will be accompanied with warnings, necessitating a halt to slurry spreading activities until normal weather patterns resume.
“And if farmers are found to be breaching these notifications, fines will follow.”
According to the FFA spokesperson, this is nothing more than a Big Brother approach to farming.
“All farmers have enough common sense to know when they can and can’t spread slurry,” Taylor said.
“But there is also an element of double standards coming into play here. The Department of Agriculture refuses to countenance the use of this weather warning approach during the current closed period for slurry spreading: from the middle of October through to the end of January.”
Slurry spreading
FFA representatives have long held the view that the impact of climate change ensures that the spreading of slurry can have a positive impact on plant growth throughout the year.
Taylor said: “This is particularly the case during the autumn period when slurry applied to stubble fields can be easily ploughed in.
“And, again, farmers are the people who know their own land best.”
Taylor called for common sense to prevail in regard to situations like these.
“Farmers are the ultimate custodians of the countryside and will also work to preserve it. And it’s up to government to further encourage all of this: not stymie it,” Taylor stated.
“It is time for the Northern Ireland Farm Welfare Bill to be put in place to have family farmers properly paid for their produce.
“In taking this approach, people would have money in their pockets to farm their farms the way they judge best, applying all common-sense environmental approaches.
“The end result will be a musical chairs of farming activity across Northern Ireland, which will be good for the economy, the environment, and tourism.”
