Hedge cutting dilemma

[icanshootwell]

Spoke to natural England about the rules today, but still unclear,
Are you aloud to trim around, just siding up the hedge to stop lambs getting caught up on briers?

 

[Slippery Slope]

Sorry to say, but the answers almost definitely no.

If it's any form of growth from the hedge itself then you are still trimming the hedge which isn't permitted before September (without a derogation for reseeding, osr etc).

I guess if it's bryer that's growing around the base of the hedge then you could argue a case as the hedge would be left alone.

 

[organicguy]

Animal welfare?

 

[Slippery Slope]

Animal welfare?

I'd love to listen in on that telephone conversation / argument!

 

[icanshootwell]

Animal welfare?

This is my worry, i am away for 5 days and worried about lambs getting stuck on briers, even though i have a young lad checking the stock, this could be over looked.

 

[Still Farming]

This is my worry, i am away for 5 days and worried about lambs getting stuck on briers, even though i have a young lad checking the stock, this could be over looked.

Walk round with hook

 

[An Gof]

Bl**dy nuts when a man can't trim his own hedge to protect his own livestock
This whole hedge trimming charade is a pain in the butt and devoid of any common sense whatsoever. People doing the work being ruled by do gooders with not enough to do and too much time to think about things they don't understand and don't concern them. Makes me mad ........ and breathe

 

[Sid]

I thought you could trim for health and safety reasons?

Cutting the shambles to prevent animals being trapped I would say is for their health and safety.
No mention what's health and safety it can be for in legislation.

 

[case 5140]

just do it!, its september in under 2 weeks......

 

[MrNoo]

Seen plenty of hedges cut last weekend on the way up to a ploughing match.

 

[icanshootwell]

just do it!, its september in under 2 weeks......

I am tempted, but the hassle i had last year over a payment deduction with greening worries me slightly, the thing is, we want to apply common sense, RPA dont do common sense, if the computer says no, your fu#ked.

 

[nick...]

My neighbors have been hedge cutting for weeks.
Nick..,

 

[milkloss]

The NFU have something to do with this hedgecutting malarkey. All done behind closed doors as a deal to keep the rspb etc happy. I believe they tried to back track on the sep date a couple of years ago and it didn’t work. Useful bunch.

 

[Goatherderess]

Photo/video the hedge before and after to prove you are just cutting for animal welfare and an emergency

 

[Still Farming]

They just cutting around here as too wet to combine and cracking on looks like ?

 

[An Gof]

They just cutting around here as too wet to combine and cracking on looks like ?

Different rules in Wales I think?

 

[Still Farming]

Must be this then:-
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...FjAAegQIDBAB&usg=AOvVaw2fP02XxOF48Eax5pvgIk_v

 

[Fallowfield]

Walk round with hook

Too sensible a suggestion.

 

[An Gof]

The NFU have something to do with this hedgecutting malarkey. All done behind closed doors as a deal to keep the rspb etc happy. I believe they tried to back track on the sep date a couple of years ago and it didn’t work. Useful bunch.

The NFU worked to get the derogation for OSR and grass seeds.
However I fear some of what you say is correct. Some of the staff just don’t appreciate the practical consequences to members of what they are negotiating at times. In the case of the hedgerow cutting timings I fear they did not push as hard as they could in the initial instance. Once it had been implemented roll back was never going to happen.

 

[David.]

Perhaps the answer is for the whole country to work to rule and cut the whole farm back to the stumps, the first week of September..
Give them the unintended consequences of treating sensible people like "coconuts".