Welsh environment body recruiting new team of pollution inspectors

Natural Resources Wales is recruiting a new team of inspectors to check that farmers are complying with the new pollution rules.

The Control of Agricultural Pollution (Wales) Regulations came into effect from 1 April 2021 and are being phased in over three years.

See also: Welsh government delays NVZ rule change to October

Initial measures include such things as checking the weather and slope of a field before spreading, ensuring a buffer zone exists alongside watercourses, and observing closed periods.

From 31 October 2023, farms across Wales are also to be restricted to spreading a maximum of 170kg/ha of organic nitrogen a year, though the government is also devising a licensing scheme that should allow many farmers to apply for a 250kg/ha limit, subject to crop need and other legal considerations.

Once fully operational, the new rules will particularly affect the ability of farmers to spread slurries and manures on land.

Some farmers will have to increase storage capacity and/or reduce livestock numbers.

Preparation 

In preparation for the new regulations, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is selecting 16 environment officers to carry out inspections at identified farms “by the end of the summer”.

They will join two team leaders, who have already started their new positions.

NRW is using available data to identity hotspot areas across Wales to guide the deployment of staff.

Inspections will be targeted at “higher risk” farms, including those producing high levels of livestock manures, or importing organic manures such as digestate and biosolids.

Proportionate

NRW lead adviser Nichola Salter, insisted that inspections and any sanctions would be “proportionate”.

The new team would first provide farmers with technical advice to help them come back into compliance, before issuing any penalties.

“We recognise the many pressures that farmers are experiencing at this time… and the potential that compliance inspections could have to exacerbate these pressures,” she said.

“We can assure farmers that we will always provide reasonable notice ahead of any planned compliance inspections, stating what officers will want to inspect.”

Concern

Farm unions have expressed their concern about the recruitment exercise, however.

NFU Cymru president Aled Jones said: “The appointment of 16 officers to carry out inspections, in addition to two team leaders, seems to suggest that the focus of the regulator appears to be more on inspections and enforcement, rather than support.”

The Farmers’ Union of Wales also called for a “soft approach” to enforcing these regulations.

“Notwithstanding that it will cost NRW around half a million pounds in annual salaries to enforce these disproportionate regulations, it is welcomed that they will be considering the proportionality of any cases and the potential impact such inspections can have on farmers’ wellbeing,” said a spokesman.