Caution urged over digging ditches to prevent fly-tippers

The Tenants Farmers Association (TFA) has warned farmers attempting to prevent access to their fields not to fall foul of cross compliance rules when building ditches.

The TFA says that as the problems of travellers and fly-tipping increase, more farmers are resorting to digging dry ditches alongside their fields to prevent access to their land.

But it says the vast majority of farmers are unaware that these ditches are classified as watercourses and must therefore comply with “onerous” rules under Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC 1).

See also: Farmers Weekly launches Stop the Blot fly-tipping campaign

Stop The Blot is a Farmers Weekly campaign designed to raise awareness of the damage caused by fly-tipping

Farmers must establish and maintain a buffer zone measuring at least one metre alongside a ditch of any size, regardless of purpose, in order to comply with GAEC 1 under cross compliance, or risk being penalised.

Within this zone farmers must maintain green cover, and must not cultivate, or apply fertiliser or pesticides.

GAEC 1 is designed to protect watercourses against pollution and run-off from agricultural sources.

The RPA has clarified that under the rules the definition of a watercourse includes coastal water, estuaries, lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, canals and field ditches which contain free water, but also temporarily dry ditches, such as ones built to prevent access.

The TFA is urging farmers who would like more information to get in touch on 0118 930 6130.