Union welcomes delay to nitrogen limit regulations
NFU CYMRU has welcomed important changes to elements of the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations, announced by the Welsh Government and secured as part of the co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru.
The written statement from the Minister for Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths MS signals a short extension of the implementation of the 170kg/ha annual holding nitrogen limit.
The extension is accompanied by a consultation on a licensing scheme that would enable any farm business to apply for a licence for a higher annual holding nitrogen limit of 250kg/ha subject to crop need and other legal considerations.
The Welsh Government will consult on proposals for such a scheme to be operational until 2025, and has committed to carry out a dedicated impact assessment on the economic and environmental impact of the 170kg/ha nitrogen limit, as well as to explore alternative technological solutions.
NFU Cymru president Aled Jones said: “The announcement of the delay of the 170kg/ha annual holding organic nitrogen limit and news of a consultation this autumn on a licensing scheme to operate until 2025 is welcome. The announcement provides some additional breathing space for Welsh farmers facing the prospect of destocking their herds as a direct result of the regulations as they stood.
“NFU Cymru has long believed that these regulations are unworkable and pose a significant threat to the viability of Welsh farming.
“For this reason, NFU Cymru has consistently opposed these regulations and has left no stone unturned in seeking to make these regulations more proportionate, including taking the matter to judicial review.
“The union is pleased that through the co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru, the government has listened to the very real concerns of Welsh farmers and has shown some recognition of the impacts that the regulations, in their original form, will have on Welsh farming’s viability and the knock-on impact on the supply chain.
“The licensing component now being consulted on by government gives all interested parties more time to find a fit-for-purpose evidencebased solution that delivers the outcomes for water quality that we all wish to see, alongside a thriving Welsh agricultural sector.”