By Matt Donald, pig & poultry farmer, north Yorkshire
Usually I like to keep my piece optimistic and upbeat, but I feel frustration is getting in the way this month! As farmers, we all care about the environment and wish to do our part in keeping the countryside full of wildlife. Through tree planting schemes, greening areas and seed mixes for birds, farms support the environment endlessly.
On poultry farms the huge investments made in renewable energy shows commitment to improving air quality, rainwater harvesting for washdowns and dirty water holding tanks to improve water quality, all enhancing the countryside’s ability to support nature.
I’m also well aware that anything done on farm has to make good business sense in order for continued profit, without things such as Feed In Tariffs I’m sure solar power would have had a much slower uptake. My frustration however is at the growing pressure by government and the end consumer wanting even higher environmental standards, for nothing.
One breeder site of ours is under the threshold for IPPC. We have been in the process of planning to go over this threshold with a further shed to improve costs of production and help secure the future of the family business. However, we are told by the EA this is not possible without ammonia scrubbers. Due to the fact broiler breeders have to be on a deep litter system with central nest and manure pits under slats, only ammonia scrubbers are classed as a Best Available Technique in the new EU legislation to prevent and minimise emissions.
That is all well and fair but who will pay for this? Unless the consumer is willing to spend extra on their chicken, then these techniques are not financially viable. As a nation we spend a mere 8% of our household expenditure on food. It is so frustrating that people do not understand the true cost of both low environmental impact and high welfare.
Are we are entering a period where food prices will have to rise to meet this criteria? I hope this government does not export our environmental impact of food to other countries.
It is interesting how the new environment secretary is concerned over intensive indoor broiler production. Can somebody please take her on farm to show what great welfare we have compared to some countries? Will Theresa Villiers actually be the key to ensuring the prime minister does not allow agricultural trade deals with countries, which allow poultry meat from farms with higher antibiotic usage and lower welfare enter the UK. I am still optimistic about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead…