An Ayrshire farm has been fined £600 for breaching crop cultivation rules, prompting Scotland’s environmental regulator to urge farmers to follow water protection regulations.
J & A Lawrie of Brieryside Farm, Prestwickn, was fined by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) for ploughing within two metres of a watercourse, breaching environmental rules.
SEPA was alerted to the breach in July 2024, when it was reported that an area of land on the farm had been cultivated for crops too close to a watercourse.
Officers subsequently visited the site in August and confirmed that the ploughing activity had occurred in violation of the general binding rules (GBRs), which prohibit cultivation within two metres of any river, burn, ditch, or loch.
These regulations are in place to prevent pollution risks from sediment, nutrients, and pesticides, and to reduce the likelihood of bank erosion and slippage.
SEPA stresses that healthy soils are essential not only for improving crop yields but also for safeguarding water quality.
The regulator has been actively working with farmers across Scotland’s 14 priority catchments, including North Ayrshire Coastal, to tackle diffuse rural pollution.
Regular inspections are carried out by the environmental watchdog to ensure farms meet environmental standards.
Officers had previously visited Brieryside Farm in 2017 and 2018, offering guidance on how to carry out cultivation activities within legal parameters.
Despite this, SEPA determined that the operators had failed to adhere to the regulations, prompting the decision to issue the civil penalty.
Stephen Field, national rural unit manager at SEPA said: "Many rural land managers have implemented measures over and above minimum regulatory requirements to address pollution issues arising from their farming activities.
"We’ll continue to engage with land managers and other relevant parties within the priority catchments to promote the importance of maintaining regulatory compliance."
However, he added: “This civil penalty should act as a warning to others that we won’t hesitate to act action against those who ignore Scotland’s environmental regulations.
"I would urge all farmers to check activities comply with GBRs and get in touch if you are unsure – SEPA are happy to provide advice and guidance.”
Fixed monetary penalties (FMP) are among several enforcement tools available to SEPA and are typically applied in cases where offences cause minimal or no lasting environmental harm.
Other measures include statutory notices, final warnings, variable monetary penalties, and referrals to the Procurator Fiscal.
