Common sense and proportionality should prevail
NFU Cymru has today given its support to the ’One Wales’ commitment to seek a derogation from the regulation which prohibits the burying of fallen stock on farm land. But the Union is aware that so far this has failed to receive any support from the European Commission.
NFU Cymru was responding to the Welsh Assembly Government’s consultation on the revision of EU regulations regarding animal by-products. The consultation also asks for views on extending the current derogation on dealing with fallen stock to areas where access is impractical, or where there are health and safety risks of collection. NFU Cymru feels very strongly about this issue and in it’s response to the Welsh Assembly Government, once again, expressed its view that there is no sound scientific evidence that demonstrates that the correct burying of dead animals on farm causes either human or animal health problems.
Dylan Morgan, said, "The burial ban has added significant costs to livestock farmers in Wales since its inception in 2003. The regulation so far has forced livestock keepers in some situations to risk ’life and limb’ in order to ensure that dead animals are removed according to the regulation and so prevent possible prosecution and / or cross compliance fines."
NFU Cymru supports an extension and argues that common sense and proportionality should prevail within the regulation rather than the strict interpretation that has applied to the burial ban since its inception.
In its response the Union has also supported the amendment made by the Welsh Assembly Government to the EU rules which would allow on farm containment prior to disposal.
Mr Morgan said, "Staff within the NFU Brussels office have been lobbying MEPs from across Europe at every opportunity to support this amendment put forward by the Welsh Assembly Government. Many of our members have been fortunate to see the excellent research work currently being undertaken at Bangor University which is looking at an on-farm storage (containment) system which allows for safe bio-reduction pending disposal by rendering or incineration.
The containment of dead animals on farm prior to disposal offers the potential for a more efficient, environmentally friendly method of disposal. It also addresses the biosecurity concerns that livestock farmers have expressed with the current system of lorries travelling across the country collecting carcasses. The use of containment systems on farm with suction tankers to remove the residue at a later date would reduce biosecurity concerns and also cut down on fuel used by lorries to collect it.
Mr Morgan continued, "If approved the Welsh Assembly Government, with industry, need to work together to ensure that as quickly as possible farmers in Wales can have the option of benefitting from this excellent research work. We need to ensure that costs and regulations in setting up a bio-reducer on farm are kept to a minimum and that smaller farms may also be able to benefit by joining up with other farmers to run a collective containment system."
