Natural England knows best?

Ffermer Bach

Ffermer Bach

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Carmarthenshire, West Wales
Steevo said:
It does seem mad and incredibly unfair that the government (with unlimited funds) can take an individual to court in this way.
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And even if you do win, the cost mentally can be so high.

At my old job my employer decided to change our pension scheme. From over 1000 employees, I was in the last dozen who refused to sign the new agreement. I knew I was in the right, then they threatened to terminate my employment. Imagine middle of winter, getting up at 5.30 to scrape out cattle and feed, then going off to work, home at 6, cold house, light fire, cook tea, check animals. I knew that my mental health could not cope with fighting for my pension too, so I acquiesced and signed. If I had been in a different situation I would fought it. I am sure there could be the same situation with the war of attrition the post office (or RPW/Natural England/Environment Agency) wages.
 
holwellcourtfarm

holwellcourtfarm

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Glen Clova, Angus, DD8 4RD
In the latest Agricultural Transition Plan update from DEFRA:

"We will respond shortly to the independent review of grazing on Dartmoor that Defra Ministers commissioned early this year. The Review, chaired by David Fursdon, provides clear recommendations for Defra and others to take forward, to ensure those living and working on Dartmoor are supported to join together with the appropriate statutory bodies to safeguard and improve its long-term management."

:unsure:
 
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carbonfibre farmer

carbonfibre farmer

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
south norfolk, uk
holwellcourtfarm said:
In the ;atest Agricultural Transition Plan update from DEFRA:

"We will respond shortly to the independent review of grazing on Dartmoor that Defra Ministers commissioned early this year. The Review, chaired by David Fursdon, provides clear recommendations for Defra and others to take forward, to ensure those living and working on Dartmoor are supported to join together with the appropriate statutory bodies to safeguard and improve its long-term management."

:unsure:
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"Supported"

Told what to do by the statutory bodies.

😖
 
O

Old apprentice

Member
Arable Farmer
What are they telling you to do is it just reducing stock are they trying to stop you using fertilizer how deep into your business are they bulliying.
 
ajcc

ajcc

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
N.Devon 45 miles (most) by boat from Walter.
Old apprentice said:
What are they telling you to do is it just reducing stock are they trying to stop you using fertilizer how deep into your business are they bulliying.
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Can’t speak for others but personally. . .
This is too “not cultivate the best and most productive 40% of a 67 ha holding henceforth.”
 

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Ffermer Bach

Ffermer Bach

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Carmarthenshire, West Wales
ajcc said:
Can’t speak for others but personally. . .
This is too “not cultivate the best and most productive 40% of a 67 ha holding henceforth.”
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I phoned up a Welsh Assembly grant advisor last week, to ask if there was any grants for me planting a herbal ley, one of the first things she said to me was "is there 25% productive grasses in the present sward?".

Seems to me the whole of the ruling bureaucracy want us to

*convert all our land to un or less productive habitat
*once it is converted, never be allowed to farm it in a more productive manner.
 
ollie989898

ollie989898

Member
Location
Hanging from a twig, in a deep sleep.
Ffermer Bach said:
I phoned up a Welsh Assembly grant advisor last week, to ask if there was any grants for me planting a herbal ley, one of the first things she said to me was "is there 25% productive grasses in the present sward?".

Seems to me the whole of the ruling bureaucracy want us to

*convert all our land to un or less productive habitat
*once it is converted, never be allowed to farm it in a more productive manner.
Click to expand...

I've said this many many times. If you take their dollar then you are just asking for them to start monitoring the place and if they find you doing something they don't like, you'll be for it.
 
Ffermer Bach

Ffermer Bach

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Carmarthenshire, West Wales
ollie989898 said:
I've said this many many times. If you take their dollar then you are just asking for them to start monitoring the place and if they find you doing something they don't like, you'll be for it.
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we have a booklet about the new grant scheme in Wales here, with it's 17 competences, which have to be uploaded via the "portal" to the Welsh Government (as an aside, local agricultural supplier said new fertliser regs, to buy fert you need a photo ID, which can be emailed, but 18% of his farming clients do not have email!). Partner has just retired from the University, because in part she was fed up with complying with all these stupid competencies and she now said she can see she is going to be doing the same on the farm now, she also pointed out that giving all the data to the government is not a good idea. If they know all your soil figures, what may they do with all that info in the future. I wonder will they suddenly say something like all poor quality soils must be planted with trees.
 
Steevo

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
Ffermer Bach said:
she also pointed out that giving all the data to the government is not a good idea. If they know all your soil figures, what may they do with all that info in the future. I wonder will they suddenly say something like all poor quality soils must be planted with trees.
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This sums up a big issue with farming today. Those in power cannot be trusted....but many farmers are forced to walk into positions where the contracts are one sided.
 
ajcc

ajcc

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
N.Devon 45 miles (most) by boat from Walter.

​

I just had a spin in early morning fog round my beef cows. They are wintering in a field with a NT permissive footpath along one long side. They are being forced by a draft Natural England court injunction to occupy this field at this time. (Their winter kale and beet are in adjacent fields the other side of the footpath)
This is a Sunday half term, there will doubtless be many ill prepared, I’ll shod walkers, some with dogs today. . . .By the way there are three new calves born overnight in the field!
“Natural England knows best.”
 
bluepower

bluepower

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
mid devon somewhere
This should almost go on a seperate thread.
Our old landlaord, your current landlords have completley devastated a field at our old farm. Known as Great Down it was a thirty acre arable field that had archaelogical features and had been in an HLS no plough option for many years. In their wisdom and no doubt with the knowledge of Natural England they have bladed the topsoil of this field and built earth banks to form four seperate new fields. Now I don't need to tell you all the damage they have done which is irrepairable and uncomprehensible. I cannot find any words to express my disgust at their actions. Reading about your plight their is so much contradiction within these organisations. They do not have a clue about what they are doing or the long term damage they are causing.
This was one of the most productive fields on the farm. capable of producing more than10 t/ha of cereals and good grass. It had had copious amounts of FYM and would have been very high in organic matter. All that is now gone forever.
 
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SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 108 39.1%

  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 104 37.7%

  • 25-50%

    Votes: 40 14.5%

  • 50-75%

    Votes: 5 1.8%

  • 75-100%

    Votes: 4 1.4%

  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 15 5.4%
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