The Pembrokeshire branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales is holding a meeting to discuss the Welsh Government’s NVZ and bTB consultations and is urging members of the Union to make their voices heard by responding to the documents.
The meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 9 at Crundale Hall, Crundale and will start at 11am. FUW Senior Policy Officer Dr Hazel Wright will be the guest speaker at the event.
Rebecca Voyle, the Unions Pembrokeshire County Executive Officer, said: “I would like to invite our members to join us for this important meeting to discuss the NVZ and bTB consultations, both of which have serious implications for farmers in the county.
“As stipulated in the EC Nitrates Directive, the Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales, have undertaken a review of the existing NVZ areas in Wales, and have assessed if any new areas need to be designated.
“The Union, has been involved in the review and has made its concerns clear over the past months, but farmers also need to voice their concerns through the consultation process.”
Two options are outlined in the consultation, namely, the continuation of the discrete approach to designation or the designation of the whole of Wales as a NVZ. A continuation of the discrete approach would see an increase in the amount land designated as an NVZ in Wales from 2.4% to 8%. This would mean significant changes for Pembrokeshire due to the proposal to include the whole of the Eastern Cleddau and Western Cleddau catchments.
Speaking about the bTB consultation, Mrs Voyle said: “The consultation includes a proposal to divide Wales up into low, intermediate and high TB incidence areas, with differing approaches to eradicating the disease being implemented in each area.
“The whole of Pembrokeshire would be classed as a high incidence area with significant changes proposed to the TB controls which would operate in the area, so I urge our members to make sure that they attend the meeting to ensure that their views are included in the consultation response we will be issuing.”
To confirm a place at the meeting members must contact the Pembrokeshire office on 01437 762913 by 12 noon on Monday November 7, for catering purposes.