Blow for farmers as European Parliament supports tough new pollution regulations for agriculture sector - Liz Lynne MEP

1.35.00pm GMT Tue 10th Mar 2009

Liz Lynne with NFU President Peter Kendall

The LibDem Agricultural Spokesperson for England and Wales in the European Parliament has today expressed her concern at the result of today's vote by the Parliament on the revision of regulations on Industrial Emissions and the effects it could have for farmers.

The Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) directive was originally intended to cover industrial polluters and force strong cuts in emissions. However, the directive was also extended to cover the agricultural industry.

Liz Lynne had tabled a number of amendments to the directive that sought to reduce the legislations impact on farmers, specifically to exclude manure spreading and nitrate excretion levels by pigs and other animals from the legislation, but the majority of MEPs voted against these.

The Parliament did however pass an amendment supported by Liz which blocked plans to reduce the number of chickens and other birds farmers could keep before being subjected to the regulations.

Speaking after the vote Liz said she was disappointed with the outcome and said the UK Government must now act in the Council of Ministers to amend the legislation:

"The original aim of this directive was to cover factories and other industrial polluters not farmers and the agricultural industry. I do not believe that the IPPC directive can seek to cover both of these industries in the same way. This is not a question of one size fits all.

"While it is important that agriculture is subject to legislation on emissions this is already covered by other legislation such as the Nitrates Directive and the Codes of Good Agricultural Practice.

"I am pleased amendments I supported on poultry farming will save chicken and turkey farmers from the worst effects of this directive but the rejection of my amendments on nitrate levels will mean far higher administrative costs for farmers and could have a serious impact on pork prices.

"The Government must now work to ensure that these draft laws are changed in the Council of Ministers."

ENDS