Farmers have described Welsh government plans to introduce a pan-Wales 'Nitrate Vulnerable Zone' (NVZ) type regulations as 'disastrous' for the livestock industry.
The Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) said the industry has reacted to such plans with a 'general air of disbelief' to the 'reems' of restrictions and rules planned.
The regulations will come into force in January 2020 with transitional periods for some elements to allow farmers time to adapt and ensure compliance.
The regulations will include measures such as nutrient management planning, sustainable fertiliser applications, protection of water from pollution and manure storage standards.
However, FUW's hill farming committee chairman, Rheinallt Hughes said that farmers were only slowly becoming aware of the anti-pollution plans.
He said that 'anger was rising' within the industry that such a 'draconian' approach was being brought forward at a time when figures suggest Wales’ agriculture industry could be the worst affected by Brexit.
Mr Hughes said: “The fact that such a draconian blanket approach is being planned goes against the Welsh Government's commitment in December 2017 to strike ‘the right balance of comprehensive regulatory measures, voluntary measures and investment’ and ‘...explore further options to provide land managers with flexibility, where these would achieve the same or better outcomes than a regulatory approach.’”
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths announced the plans in a written statement in November last year.
According to the FUW, it became apparent that the majority of the plans had simply ‘been cut-and-pasted’ from the NVZ rules currently affecting just 2.3% of Wales.
Mr Hughes said: “The plans have, to all intents and purposes, failed to acknowledge the 114 page report and 45 recommendations aimed at tackling agricultural pollution submitted by industry and government bodies six months prior to the announcement.”
He said that the rules would have 'far-reaching repercussions' for livestock producers across Wales, and could result in a fall in Welsh beef production in particular due to increased costs and reductions in profitability.
“Tenant farmers at our joint meeting also highlighted the particular difficulties of complying with rules that would require significant investment on tenanted land, not to mention the obstacles of having to seek planning permission.
“If these plans go ahead we will see an increase in the number of Welsh farm holdings subject to costly and restrictive legislation from an estimated 600 to more than 24,000,” he said.
Committee members supported the FUW’s call for the plans to be abandoned, and for a 'proportionate and targeted' approach based on 'balanced evidence' to be adopted.
