Catchment sensitive farming "advice"

[Jdunn55]

Just wanted to give everyone on here a heads up. If you get contacted about the above asking to come out and give you some free "advice". I would not accept under any circumstances.

I got told that it was to do with countryside stewardship and was only coming to offer advice on grants etc. I spoke to my stewardship field officer afterwards and he said he'd never ever heard of it

Turned up yielding a clipboard which is never a good sign. It became very clear it was actually an inspection of the farms slurry and silage

I've just found the report emailed to me and the way it has been worded I can just absolutely tell it is going to be used against us at some point.

He's decided we have 2 months slurry storage for my 80 cows, whereas 180 cows have had their slurry stored here previously all winter. After last winter my pit never reached more than 1/3 full (didn't spread anything between October 10th and March 15th) although I do appreciate there was not a lot of rain last year.

I wish I never let him on the farm and just thought I'd give everyone else a heads up just in case. I'm actually quite worried what they will use the report for in future.

 

[rusty]

Was it definitely catchment sensitive farming officer and not someone from EA?
CSF officer here has been great. It helps that his family are local dairy farmers and he understands the challenges and realities of the job.

 

[Jdunn55]

Was it definitely catchment sensitive farming officer and not someone from EA?
CSF officer here has been great. It helps that his family are local dairy farmers and he understands the challenges and realities of the job.

No it was subcontracted to some other company by catchment sensitive farming. The guy was pleasant enough and seemed helpful himself (just doing his job) but it's the report that scares me and what it will be used for (eg: blackmail).
The biggest thing is I was told it would be a quick look around the yard, a few questions and that was that but in reality it just wasnt

 

[DairyNerd]

Just wanted to give everyone on here a heads up. If you get contacted about the above asking to come out and give you some free "advice". I would not accept under any circumstances.

I got told that it was to do with countryside stewardship and was only coming to offer advice on grants etc. I spoke to my stewardship field officer afterwards and he said he'd never ever heard of it

Turned up yielding a clipboard which is never a good sign. It became very clear it was actually an inspection of the farms slurry and silage

I've just found the report emailed to me and the way it has been worded I can just absolutely tell it is going to be used against us at some point.

He's decided we have 2 months slurry storage for my 80 cows, whereas 180 cows have had their slurry stored here previously all winter. After last winter my pit never reached more than 1/3 full (didn't spread anything between October 10th and March 15th) although I do appreciate there was not a lot of rain last year.

I wish I never let him on the farm and just thought I'd give everyone else a heads up just in case. I'm actually quite worried what they will use the report for in future.

I am amazed that the CSS officer had never heard of it, they are pretty well known and do work together. Partner's parents have used them for grants for fencing and concrete on a beef and sheep farm with no problems. Their job is primarily concerned with water quality so i think it makes sense they focused on your slurry storage but as i say wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

[Jdunn55]

I am amazed that the CSS officer had never heard of it, they are pretty well known and do work together. Partner's parents have used them for grants for fencing and concrete on a beef and sheep farm with no problems. Their job is primarily concerned with water quality so i think it makes sense they focused on your slurry storage but as i say wouldn't worry about it too much.

The report basically wants me to spend £250,000 on slurry and knock down my silage clamp and put a new one up that meets ssafir regulations.

Oh and that isn't labeled as advice that's labeled as a requirement.

 

[Princess Pooper]

Just wanted to give everyone on here a heads up. If you get contacted about the above asking to come out and give you some free "advice". I would not accept under any circumstances.

I got told that it was to do with countryside stewardship and was only coming to offer advice on grants etc. I spoke to my stewardship field officer afterwards and he said he'd never ever heard of it

Turned up yielding a clipboard which is never a good sign. It became very clear it was actually an inspection of the farms slurry and silage

I've just found the report emailed to me and the way it has been worded I can just absolutely tell it is going to be used against us at some point.

He's decided we have 2 months slurry storage for my 80 cows, whereas 180 cows have had their slurry stored here previously all winter. After last winter my pit never reached more than 1/3 full (didn't spread anything between October 10th and March 15th) although I do appreciate there was not a lot of rain last year.

I wish I never let him on the farm and just thought I'd give everyone else a heads up just in case. I'm actually quite worried what they will use the report for in future.

He should have actually said who gets a copy of the report. In the past I think it has only gone to the farmer who requested it, but can be used to support the water protection bits in CS if you apply for them. (or presumably now the new slurry storage grants)

At very least, you should have the contact details of the person who wrote it and if there are factual errors in it then phone up and ask for them to be corrected and a revised report issued.

 

[DairyNerd]

The report basically wants me to spend £250,000 on slurry and knock down my silage clamp and put a new one up that meets ssafir regulations.

Oh and that isn't labeled as advice that's labeled as a requirement.

I could be wrong but i think they have no legal power to make you do anything. They were set up to improve water quality through grants for slurry, concrete, fencing off watercourses etc....

 

[Bald Rick]

No it was subcontracted to some other company by catchment sensitive farming. The guy was pleasant enough and seemed helpful himself (just doing his job) but it's the report that scares me and what it will be used for (eg: blackmail).
The biggest thing is I was told it would be a quick look around the yard, a few questions and that was that but in reality it just wasnt

Was it SW FWAG? I know they work closely with CSF or did

 

[ollie989898]

Do not accept anyone turning up with the offer of free soil sampling. They will record the P and K levels and one day probably use them to stop you applying slurry etc to various fields. Under no circumstances should you consent to third parties holding your information like this. Pay for the soil sampling via your agronomy company or fertiliser supplier who won't then use it against you.

 

[ollie989898]

I could be wrong but i think they have no legal power to make you do anything. They were set up to improve water quality through grants for slurry, concrete, fencing off watercourses etc....

Who says they won't supply the information to an agency or quango that can make you do something?

 

[S J H]

Just wanted to give everyone on here a heads up. If you get contacted about the above asking to come out and give you some free "advice". I would not accept under any circumstances.

I got told that it was to do with countryside stewardship and was only coming to offer advice on grants etc. I spoke to my stewardship field officer afterwards and he said he'd never ever heard of it

Turned up yielding a clipboard which is never a good sign. It became very clear it was actually an inspection of the farms slurry and silage

I've just found the report emailed to me and the way it has been worded I can just absolutely tell it is going to be used against us at some point.

He's decided we have 2 months slurry storage for my 80 cows, whereas 180 cows have had their slurry stored here previously all winter. After last winter my pit never reached more than 1/3 full (didn't spread anything between October 10th and March 15th) although I do appreciate there was not a lot of rain last year.

I wish I never let him on the farm and just thought I'd give everyone else a heads up just in case. I'm actually quite worried what they will use the report for in future.

I had a chap come once for a ‘free’ manure sampling from NE, turns up and wants to do some soil testing and a report into where we spread. I wouldnt take up a free offer from them again.

 

[frederick]

As far as I am aware the whole aim of CSF is to be able to be as open as possible with them so they can offer help and that is not to be passed on any further.

You need to get your slurry volume corrected if his report is wrong. Do you spread dirty water in the winter it might be that either him or you have the classification of what is dirty water wrong on your farm.

If it was a environment visit a requirement always has a date on it.

However if your pits aren't ssafo compliant and post 96 it is a requirement by law for them to be compliant. He might just be pointing out to you what the ea officer will tell you when they visit.

You are a dairy farm that ea officer will be in round in the next 18 months and will give you enforcement dates that will have to be met by you and your landlord.

This is the new farming world. If you don't have a suitable effluent tank. Build something now. It might remove a bigger higher spec demand from the ea.

 

[egbert]

Just wanted to give everyone on here a heads up. If you get contacted about the above asking to come out and give you some free "advice". I would not accept under any circumstances.

I got told that it was to do with countryside stewardship and was only coming to offer advice on grants etc. I spoke to my stewardship field officer afterwards and he said he'd never ever heard of it

Turned up yielding a clipboard which is never a good sign. It became very clear it was actually an inspection of the farms slurry and silage

I've just found the report emailed to me and the way it has been worded I can just absolutely tell it is going to be used against us at some point.

He's decided we have 2 months slurry storage for my 80 cows, whereas 180 cows have had their slurry stored here previously all winter. After last winter my pit never reached more than 1/3 full (didn't spread anything between October 10th and March 15th) although I do appreciate there was not a lot of rain last year.

I wish I never let him on the farm and just thought I'd give everyone else a heads up just in case. I'm actually quite worried what they will use the report for in future.

I think you need take some action.

If you're sure you're compliant, send recorded letter to outfit from whom the bloke came, (copying in CSF) indicating that he entered under a false premise, and has then somehow misunderstood your system- detailing how you are compliant- and that you reject his findings/report. Make it clear that should the outfit forward their findings to any other agency, you are likely to be taking proceedings against them.

Not that I've got slurry or clamp issues, but I've understood the local CSF lot (if this is the brown envelopes I'm thinking of) have been pretty helpful and sensible- although on reflection, lately I've flat refused to engage with them cos they're seemingly holding hands with a very anti-farmer wildlife Trust. This would be new territory

Please report back how it goes. This could be indicative of a change in the wind.

 

[devonbeef]

I don,t think there is going to be many dairy farms left by the time they have finished , two have gone within 2 miles of here this summer, both because of having to spend a fortune to be allowed to carry on, only 3 or 4 left in area. For anyone who is facing this and want to carry on. Would loose housing work, you come off the radar then slurrywise,

 

[joep83]

Check your tenancy on who's responsible for slurry pits / silo pits etc first.
Going to be a clamp down on farms with small slurry pits soon.
I would think unless you have an effluent pollution incident with your silage EA probably won't get involved as most people have old clamps .

 

[Sandpit Farm]

Who says they won't supply the information to an agency or quango that can make you do something?

That is actually illegal. They can't do that as the data is yours - just be careful what you sign. The only data sharing that could happen would be composite data, which may help to drive policy.

As mentioned above. CSF are the good guys. They will be able to advise on practices that will maximise payments through SFI (admitted it won't work for everyone). Also SSAFO regs will need to be complied with and there are legal requirements that many will be falling short of when spreading slurry let alone storing slurry so these will all need to be thought about. Nothing is being enforced strongly yet but we would all do well to be looking at our storage capacity and options we have for bypassing clean water and ensuring crop utilisation. Around here, a major water company has also been offering consultant time to assist with

The biggest issue I see here is people who are in the twilight of their career with no family succession on the cards. Investing in slurry storage still requires a ROI and that just is not as clear as other types of farm investment like a new milking shed or transition yard.

 

[Farmer Keith]

The problem you may have is assuming there’s no errors in the guys calculations he will of worked it out using the same formula that the EA will use when they come knocking, so regardless of you saying you have enough storage you don’t… I’ve had the EA around last winter and my silage clamp is not SAFOO compliant so plans are afoot to build a new one. Slurry store is fine though after consultation with CSF before we built a new one in 2020 ensured it was up to the current spec. These things look expensive but they aren’t really, they add value to your farm and allow you to reap the benefits of selling milk. A far better investment than a new tractor for example.

 

[Sandpit Farm]

If anyone is worried, just calculate it yourself via this https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/slurry-wizard

You shouldn't need to pay for it. Obviously CSF can do this too.

You are aiming for 6 months storage. You can then factor in things like separator purchase and whether that saves the need for heavy investment into current system.

 

[Farmer Keith]

Check your tenancy on who's responsible for slurry pits / silo pits etc first.
Going to be a clamp down on farms with small slurry pits soon.
I would think unless you have an effluent pollution incident with your silage EA probably won't get involved as most people have old clamps .

They will absolutely get involved with your clamps.

 

[Jdunn55]

The problem you may have is assuming there’s no errors in the guys calculations he will of worked it out using the same formula that the EA will use when they come knocking, so regardless of you saying you have enough storage you don’t… I’ve had the EA around last winter and my silage clamp is not SAFOO compliant so plans are afoot to build a new one. Slurry store is fine though after consultation with CSF before we built a new one in 2020 ensured it was up to the current spec. These things look expensive but they aren’t really, they add value to your farm and allow you to reap the benefits of selling milk. A far better investment than a new tractor for example.

That's all well and good but as a tenant farmer with 3 and a bit years left, I cannot justify spending £400,000-£500,000 on slurry pits and silage pits. My landlords are in their 80's so I can't imagine they would be too thrilled about doing that either