RADBF - Defra's Clean Air Strategy

[News]

Have you heard about Defra's Clean Air Strategy and the potential implications its legislation could have on dairy farmers across the UK? RABDF is focusing on this area as part of its current policy work and is asking you to help out by completing the short survey below.

We are looking to collate as much information as possible on the topic from all types and sizes of dairy farms - this means we want to hear from you regardless of what you do or don't know about Defra's proposals.

Your feedback will enable us to progress our influencing and lobbying work by putting a comprehensive report together that challenges certain areas of the proposed new regulations put in place by Defra.

Please feel free to forward this email on to any other industry contacts who may also be interested in completing the survey and contributing to our work.

 

[Bald Rick]

Nice and straightforward survey and anonymous

 

[Tarw Coch]

I did have trouble with one question, slurry spreading is half n half ourselves and contractor but the tick boxes only allow for one or tother.


Whilst the survey asked about what you do and what you know about it doesn’t ask much about future intentions.
I know quite a few dairy farmers who are aware of what is on the horizon and the costs involved and are considering implementation of new rules as their cue to get out.

 

[Princess Pooper]

I did have trouble with one question, slurry spreading is half n half ourselves and contractor but the tick boxes only allow for one or tother.


Whilst the survey asked about what you do and what you know about it doesn’t ask much about future intentions.
I know quite a few dairy farmers who are aware of what is on the horizon and the costs involved and are considering implementation of new rules as their cue to get out.

yes, I had the same issue regarding contractors and ourselves. The potential scope of this is one reason we won't be looking to carry on, in our 50's and no successors and a small herd I think this will be the final straw.

 

[Tarw Coch]

yes, I had the same issue regarding contractors and ourselves. The potential scope of this is one reason we won't be looking to carry on, in our 50's and no successors and a small herd I think this will be the final straw.

I can’t see many over late 40’s carrying unless they’ve got a keen successor. By the time this is implemented they will be into their 50’s, who would want to borrow money to carry on to retirement age and if it’s allready in the bank are you prepared to spend it just to carry on? Not sure that would be wise but no doubt there are some who know nor want to do anything else so will.

I’m sure I heard somewhere that they had similar proposals in Ireland and when they realised the effect it would have on smaller farms it was altered to only those with more than 200 cows, it may have been cattle, I’m sure it was cows but I’m not sure what someone sitting in an office drafting these things would class as a cow.
Unless we have something similar here I think a lot of smaller family dairy farms will go, it depends wether anyone thinks that matters in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Bill the Bass]

I can’t see many over late 40’s carrying unless they’ve got a keen successor. By the time this is implemented they will be into their 50’s, who would want to borrow money to carry on to retirement age and if it’s allready in the bank are you prepared to spend it just to carry on? Not sure that would be wise but no doubt there are some who know nor want to do anything else so will.

I’m sure I heard somewhere that they had similar proposals in Ireland and when they realised the effect it would have on smaller farms it was altered to only those with more than 200 cows, it may have been cattle, I’m sure it was cows but I’m not sure what someone sitting in an office drafting these things would class as a cow.
Unless we have something similar here I think a lot of smaller family dairy farms will go, it depends wether anyone thinks that matters in the grand scheme of things.

This is exactly it, no one except us thinks it matters, in fact I would go as far to say that the government want less livestock and care little whether it’s small or large that pack up.

 

[Beef farmer]

I can’t see many over late 40’s carrying unless they’ve got a keen successor. By the time this is implemented they will be into their 50’s, who would want to borrow money to carry on to retirement age and if it’s allready in the bank are you prepared to spend it just to carry on? Not sure that would be wise but no doubt there are some who know nor want to do anything else so will.

I’m sure I heard somewhere that they had similar proposals in Ireland and when they realised the effect it would have on smaller farms it was altered to only those with more than 200 cows, it may have been cattle, I’m sure it was cows but I’m not sure what someone sitting in an office drafting these things would class as a cow.
Unless we have something similar here I think a lot of smaller family dairy farms will go, it depends wether anyone thinks that matters in the grand scheme of things.

I was told by the EA that it will be similar here. Over x amount of cows youll need a permit and a different set of rules.

 

[Tarw Coch]

I was told by the EA that it will be similar here. Over x amount of cows youll need a permit and a different set of rules.

I’m sure there’s something similar with pigs or chickens, over a certain number is additional regulations.

Wimbledon be interesting if they do with dairy, could put a glass ceiling which some don’t want to go above or even drop below depending where it’s set and individual attitude.

 

[Beef farmer]

I’m sure there’s something similar with pigs or chickens, over a certain number is additional regulations.

Wimbledon be interesting if they do with dairy, could put a glass ceiling which some don’t want to go above or even drop below depending where it’s set and individual attitude.

Her exact words where, same as the restrictions on pigs and poultry

I wanted to know if it was kglw or milk sold /ha or actual numbers. At a 250 ceiling i personally would just drop 50 cows rather than spend a fortune