NFU hails green meetings success
More than 1,200 West Midlands farmers have attended a series of 13 cross compliance meetings aimed at ensuring they are adequately prepared for environmental inspections.
The meetings in Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire have taken place under the banner "Greener Futures" and they have focussed on concentrating farmers' minds on new environmental regulations brought in by the reform of the CAP.
NFU Food and Farming Adviser Charlie Morton is delighted with the success of the meetings that have taken place so far and is planning more elsewhere in the region in the New Year.
"Every session has been packed full and we have had to split certain sessions into an afternoon and evening meeting in order to cope with demand," said Miss Morton.
"The feedback we have received on the evaluation forms filled in by farmers has been excellent.
"We have hit the button with these meetings by concentrating on subjects that are really worrying our farmer members.
"We have been able to tell them what to expect from inspections and what things environmental inspectors will be looking for when they visit farms."
The meetings have covered all of the good agricultural and environmental conditions and statutory management regulations. Specific topics dealt with have included cattle and sheep identification, nitrate vulnerable zones, ground water regulations, sludge, set aside and entry level environmental schemes.
Miss Morton added: "The new waste regulations have formed a small part of the presentations so far but I would anticipate that they will become increasingly prominent at the meetings planned in the new year as more details are announced."
Farmers who have attended the Greener Futures meetings receive a comprehensive information pack containing relevant paperwork such as pro formas for filling in NVZ records and application packs for ground water regulations.
The Greener Futures meetings have been organised by the NFU, individual rural hubs with particular support from Cathy Meredith of the Herefordshire Rural Hub, FWAG, Defra, the Environment Agency, LEAF, the Rural Development Service and the CLA.
More meetings are planned in the New Year as follows: January 18, 2pm and 7pm Stratford Cattle Market, January 25, 2pm and 7pm, Wroxeter Hotel, Shrewsbury.
The individual partners involved in putting on the meetings will be running topic specific workshops in the spring as a follow up in order to assist farmers to comply with the new requirements.
