Mixed reactions to the Review of Agriculture Pollution Regulations

The long-awaited four-yearly review of the Control of Agricultural Pollution regulations, led by Dr. Susannah Bolton, has been published. The review, which examined the implementation and impact of the regulations, has drawn a mixed response from the agricultural sector, including CLA Cymru, which provided evidence throughout the reporting period.

One of the main challenges noted was the limited timeframe for assessment. Some of the regulations were only applied within the past six months, making it impossible to evaluate their full impact or effectiveness. This has led to frustration within the farming community, as the review lacks comprehensive analysis of all the regulations. It is a missed opportunity to address these persistent issues.

Despite this, there are some positive indications. The review acknowledged our call to better target regulations and reduce the burden on lower-risk sectors. However, the absence of a short-term commitment to amend the regulations has raised concerns, especially given the pressing challenges faced by many farm businesses.

One contentious issue is the lack of a clear timeline to review crop limits and closed periods. As agro-ecological conditions continue to change, farming based on fixed dates is increasingly impractical. CLA Cymru advocates for a more flexible approach, where farmers have greater autonomy, backed by checks and balances, to make decisions about spreading fertiliser or manure when conditions are suitable.

There is also a call for more significant investment from the Welsh Government to support farm businesses struggling to meet the storage requirements mandated by the regulations. This need for infrastructure development is a key topic raised by CLA Cymru as part of our Water Wise program and events. Multiple stakeholders have voiced their concerns about the financial and practical challenges of compliance, something yet to be comprehensively addressed.

The CLA will continue to push for practical, evidence-based solutions to ensure that pollution regulations are effective without placing undue strain on Welsh agriculture.