Soil Protection Review

[Goweresque]

Is the Soil Protection Review the biggest load of red tape codswallop that DEFRA have ever written?

Farmers do have common sense, so this should be scrapped.


They could always pass this red tape booklet onto the Environmental Agency and English Nature, as it appears they like flooding everywhere by their miss management!!

The Soil Management Review is an entirely paperwork based affair that Defra invented to satisfy the EU that they were 'doing something' about soil management, without actually doing anything. In fact its an example of the UK civil service learning from our European cousins about how to play the EU system without hamstringing the people on the ground. Thus we have a SPR that is entirely paper based, has zero relevance to what actually happens on the ground (unless you decide to turn your farm into the Somme by some mad farming practice). Defra only want to see that its been filled in, thats it. They will fine you if you don't so they can say to their EU masters 'Look we're enforcing the rules like you told us too'. But beyond that they pretty much let the farmers get on with it. They know we fill the thing in at the end of the year with any old rubbish - they don't care, as long as the farm doesn't look like a warzone. Its the ultimate in 'We pretend to abide by the rules, and you pretend to enforce the rules, and everyone's happy' concepts.

Take 10 mins to fill your form in once a year and be very glad Defra have decided this is the way to go - the alternative would not be pretty - loads of inspectors riding on farmers backs 24/7 micro-managing everything every time it rained, preventing all manner of operations from taking place at all.

 

[blondeagadvisor]

Good to have you on board @blondeagadvisor . Useful blog you have too (I had a look after you joined the other channel).

May I suggest you don't venture down into 'off topic' on here, your avatar will get a lot of the single lads excited, having been left disappointed recently.

Thank you! I will stick to 'agricultural matters'!

 

[Old Tip]

Been ill so not got it done and its now closed on line, is there anything i can do ???

 

[warksfarmer]

Been ill so not got it done and its now closed on line, is there anything i can do ???

Well you've already done the paper version so it doesn't matter does it?

 

[Brisel]

PM me & I'll send you an Excel version I downloaded a while ago but you will need to set it up with all your field numbers. I'd stick to the paper version if you can.

 

[Henery]

Did mine online for the first time on 31st, apart from entering all field numbers wasn't too bad, pointless crap but as long as you have done it..... Seems it about ticking a box that it's done, very little to do with the content

 

[DRC]

The big outdoor dairy herds around here, on these new zealand type systems, will have some form filling to do after all this rain!

 

[Hurdle bunter]

The big outdoor dairy herds around here, on these new zealand type systems, will have some form filling to do after all this rain!

With or without those sand tracks I bet it's abit shitty underfoot!

 

[rusty]

Been ill so not got it done and its now closed on line, is there anything i can do ???

Just done mine online with no problems apart from the notice saying it was overdue.

 

[Brisel]

PM me & I'll send you an Excel version I downloaded a while ago but you will need to set it up with all your field numbers. I'd stick to the paper version if you can.

@Clive - How do I upload an Excel spreadsheet as an attachment please?

 

[Clive]

@Clive - How do I upload an Excel spreadsheet as an attachment please?

for some reason excel is not permitted file type. might be a anti hacker / virus thing - @admin will know for sure

 

[blondeagadvisor]

Been ill so not got it done and its now closed on line, is there anything i can do ???

You can fill out the paper version, available online here: http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...=8poWxQHGNqpekx3yYfeZHQ&bvm=bv.58187178,d.ZG4

 

[llamedos]

@Goweresque @Wooly @Clive

Just been given the heads up on Farmings best mates latest, read it through!

http://www.theguardian.com/environm...-lobby-has-wrecked-efforts-to-defend-our-soil

 

[Clive]

@Goweresque @Wooly @Clive

Just been given the heads up on Farmings best mates latest, read it through!

http://www.theguardian.com/environm...-lobby-has-wrecked-efforts-to-defend-our-soil

You know what ? He's right !

 

[llamedos]

Perhaps @GeorgeMonbiot would like to join up and sign in & discuss it

 

[sleepy]

The Soil Management Review is an entirely paperwork based affair that Defra invented to satisfy the EU that they were 'doing something' about soil management, without actually doing anything. In fact its an example of the UK civil service learning from our European cousins about how to play the EU system without hamstringing the people on the ground. Thus we have a SPR that is entirely paper based, has zero relevance to what actually happens on the ground (unless you decide to turn your farm into the Somme by some mad farming practice). Defra only want to see that its been filled in, thats it. They will fine you if you don't so they can say to their EU masters 'Look we're enforcing the rules like you told us too'. But beyond that they pretty much let the farmers get on with it. They know we fill the thing in at the end of the year with any old rubbish - they don't care, as long as the farm doesn't look like a warzone. Its the ultimate in 'We pretend to abide by the rules, and you pretend to enforce the rules, and everyone's happy' concepts.

Take 10 mins to fill your form in once a year and be very glad Defra have decided this is the way to go - the alternative would not be pretty - loads of inspectors riding on farmers backs 24/7 micro-managing everything every time it rained, preventing all manner of operations from taking place at all.

Bet you never thought you would be quoted in the guardian,
http://www.theguardian.com/environm...-lobby-has-wrecked-efforts-to-defend-our-soil

 

[Goweresque]

Bet you never thought you would be quoted in the guardian,
http://www.theguardian.com/environm...-lobby-has-wrecked-efforts-to-defend-our-soil

Hey I'll take fame any way I can get it. Or is it infamy.......

My mate wrote to Guardian some years ago when I was traveling around Australia watching the Ashes (sadly the first 5-0 debacle in 06/07) and was doing a blog, he reckoned they should have linked to it, he enjoyed the writing so much. Nothing came of it though. But looks like my moment of Guardian fame has finally come in a very unexpected way.

 

[Campbell]

Perhaps @GeorgeMonbiot would like to join up and sign in & discuss it

I heard him speak at the Hay Festival, he gave a quote from "a farming forum". Be good if he did join in here as he needs to get both sides of the story.

 

[llamedos]

I heard him speak at the Hay Festival, he gave a quote from "a farming forum". Be good if he did join in here as he needs to get both sides of the story.

he has been invited to join us.

 

[Wooly]

he has been invited to join us.

He must read TFF though by his quotes.

His Guardian article might embarrass a few farmers as it does run true to a few, but it so easy to be critical when your belly is full.