Egg farmers get help with pollution permits

The session will be held at the Environment Agency offices at Newtown Industrial Estate, Northway Lane, Tewkesbury on 9 November 2006.

Poultry farmers will soon be regulated through Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) permits issued by the Environment Agency. The permit system has been criticised by industry members and members of the UK opposition.

The agency says that there are four time more poultry than people in Gloucestershire.

“Therefore we need to ensure that all these large scale farmers, who provide us with bacon and eggs manage their farms correctly and ultimately don’t pollute our environment,” the agency said in a statement.

“Anyone operating a farm with capacity for more than 40,000 free range or intensive poultry, 2000 finishing pigs or 750 sows must apply for a Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) permit,” it said, adding that formers need to obtain a receipt for their completed and registered applications by 31 January 2007.

“Those who don’t will be operating illegally and run the risk of being prosecuted, in fact a Magistrates Court could fine them up to £50,000,” the agency said.

The PPC regulations will control the environmental effects of farming. Permits will cover waste, water, energy and noise minimisation, slurry and manure management, minimising the risk of pollution from livestock housing and ‘on farm’ accidents.

Sharon Chisholm, Agricultural Senior Environment Officer said; “Any new regulations can be daunting and difficult to understand, but we are happy to work with farmers to complete their permit applications.
“Large…poultry farmers must start working on these now because they have to be submitted to us in under three months.”
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