NFU silent on the bird licence ?

An Gof

Member
Location
Cornwall
Had a note in reply to my message to NFU last night at 8:30am that person was going to chase Land Management Team and Comms as matter of urgency. No further update yet.
 

An Gof

Member
Location
Cornwall
Here’s the NFU press release

NFU responds to Natural England's removal of bird control licences

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Responding to Natural England's decision to temporarily revoke three general licences for controlling certain wild birds, NFU Deputy President Guy Smith said:

“The NFU has significant concerns about the abrupt withdrawal of these general licenses.

“They are absolutely necessary at this time of year when crops are particularly vulnerable to pests. For example, a flock of pigeons could decimate a farmer’s field of crops.

“We understand Natural England will be reissuing the licenses from 29 April and for the NFU it is a matter of priority that they do that. It is incredibly disappointing that farmers and growers find themselves in this position, particularly at this time of year.”

More information:

Natural England has temporarily revoked three general licences for controlling certain wild birds as of Thursday 25 April 2019, which cover 16 species of birds including several members of the crow family, Canada goose, some gulls and pigeons.

It is due to start issuing new licences from 29 April 2019.
 

willy

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Rutland
Give an inch and they take a mile.

I don't think this is the end of it from Pakham and his mob. They won't be happy untill the countryside is a fun park for their own fun (even though that may impact on wildlife) as long as they hold the populist high ground

I have already had 2 Larsen traps smashed up this season, all well out of the way of any public access. I do question how we police this sort of attitude when you have fanatics like packham encouraging the general public
 

B'o'B

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Rutland
Except Packham is calling for full transparency.
Every detail of the new licence, address, reason for it , species etc will be available on Public record
Open invitation to the Activists to visit your farm and screw you over, get your guns seized, and no doubt land you in court/jail

They are very very dangerous
Not sensible to advertise where guns are likely to be kept, but when did being sensible come into it!
 

NLF

Member
Is it just me or is the silence from the NFU re the corvid and pigeon control utterly deafening ?

Is there some clever reason for the silence or has no one got into the office or turned on Twitter yet ?

I think you'll find that about the time you were typing this the NFU were putting out their response. You don't your pay your subscription, free riding on those of us who do, but what do you suggest? What will TFF do? Suggest something. Make me laugh!
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
I think you'll find that about the time you were typing this the NFU were putting out their response. You don't your pay your subscription, free riding on those of us who do, but what do you suggest? What will TFF do? Suggest something. Make me laugh!

Not being a member doesn't exclude me from having a opinion or wondering what they are or in this case are not doing. I don’t believe there is a law that prevents none NFU members from giving a £&&( ! About issues that effect farmers ?

This is big news and a big issue but frankly I have seen nothing of any substance about it all from them yet on social media or the wider news

This happened yesterday and based on a post early in this thread from a NFU member they had nothing to say at 8.30 this morning - were still “considering a response”

Good enough ? Not in this day and age ..... and you wonder WHY I’m not a member !

I tweeted about this earlier today - the reach of that tweet is many 10’s of thousands already and makes a case to many why this will have such negative effect on farm birds and just how much many farmers are doing to improved eco systems ... it wasn’t hard, I’m not a professional so where the heck are those professionals that claim to represent you ? and you feel are worthy of your membership cash ?

The response is pathetic, doesn’t even try to explain why this is bad for farmland ecosystems or point out how much so many farms do fir birds or the stats that farmland bird life numbers are doing really well recently etc - I think my few tweets on twitter today are far better frankly ........ and you’re not paying me !
 
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B'o'B

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Rutland
Not being a member dies t exclude me from having a opinion or wondering what they are or in this case are not doing. I don’t believe there is a laws that prevents none members from giving a £&&( ! About issues that effect farmers ?

This is big news and a big issue but frankly I have seen nothing of any substance about it all from them yet on social media or the wider news

This happened yesterday and based on a post early in this thread from a NFU member they had nothing to say at 8.30 this mourning

Good enough ? Not in this day and age ..... and you wonder WHY I’m not a member !
Could be a case of less is more. Why put it all over social media? To let everyone know that it has been band? or keep your public head down and work behind the scenes with the people that matter?
Just a thought.
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
Could be a case of less is more. Why put it all over social media? To let everyone know that it has been band? or keep your public head down and work behind the scenes with the people that matter?
Just a thought.

I don’t think ignoring what is now law is a good idea and can’t imagine the NFU would suggest that either

You risk 60% of your BPS if you ignore this breaking cross compliance plus whatever fine the law can also on you - not a risk I will be taking !

There will be no shortage of “wildlife experts” all to happy to grass up a Larsen trap or man in a hide I’m quite sure
 
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B'o'B

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Rutland
I don’t think ignoring what is no law is a good idea and can’t imagine the NFU would suggest that either

You risk 60% of your BPS if you ignore this breaking cross compliance plus whatever fine the law can also on you - not a risk I will be taking !
Me neither, but what good would the NFU putting it all over social media do? Just maybe the best they can do is work behind the scenes to try and come up with a workable solution? As an arable farmer I can probably cope with a couple of days not shooting pigeons on my freshly emerged peas until I can apply for a new license , you seem to feel the same about your situation. But ask yourself how would you feel picking lambs up with no eyes each day after the crows have visited and having to put them down? I don’t think I’d be feeling quite so sure how I’d react facing that prospect.
 
Except Packham is calling for full transparency.
Every detail of the new licence, address, reason for it , species etc will be available on Public record
Open invitation to the Activists to visit your farm and screw you over, get your guns seized, and no doubt land you in court/jail

They are very very dangerous

So GDPR means nothing, when a legitimate business cannot send someone an email without permission!
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
Me neither, but what good would the NFU putting it all over social media do? Just maybe the best they can do is work behind the scenes to try and come up with a workable solution? As an arable farmer I can probably cope with a couple of days not shooting pigeons on my freshly emerged peas until I can apply for a new license , you seem to feel the same about your situation. But ask yourself how would you feel picking lambs up with no eyes each day after the crows have visited and having to put them down? I don’t think I’d be feeling quite so sure how I’d react facing that prospect.

Social media is a MASSIVE influencer of public opinion these days like it or not - they need to learn how to use that to their advantage just as those that fight against us have done with spectacular success

....... perception matters, how do you think twits like Packham get these things in the public eye and banned in the first place ?
 

B'o'B

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Rutland
Social media is a MASSIVE influencer of opinion these days like it or not - they need to learn how to use that to their advantage

....... perception matters, how do you think twits like Packham get these things in the public eye and banned in the first place ?
But at this precise moment it time I can see that less could be more for the reason stated above. Once a workable solution is in place I can see that the reasons for it will need to be promoted and explained on social media to push back against the likes of Packham.
 

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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