Holly
Smith - 2-Nov-2006 - The Environment Agency is
offering a free, local one-to-one session to help
large pig and poultry farmers apply for Pollution
Prevention and Control (PPC) permits at our Environment
Agency offices on Corringham Road, Gainsborough
on 7 November 2006.
In the East Midlands there are
five times more poultry than people, 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 activities of pig and poultry
farmers will be regulated through Pollution Prevention
and Control (PPC) permits issued by the Environment
Agency.
The surgery will be held between
10am and 3pm, farmers are advised to book appointments
by telephoning 08708 506506 in advance to be sure
of securing a slot.
Anyone operating a farm with
capacity for more than 40,000 free range or intensive
poultry, 2000 finishing pigs or 1000 sows must
apply for a Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC)
permit. Farmers need to complete, register their
application and get a receipt from with the Environment
Agency by the 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 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.
John Dronfield who will be running
the workshop 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 pig and poultry farmers must
start working on these now because they have to
be submitted to us in under three months. If anyone
from the Gainsborough area has a query about their
accident management plans, site plan, manure management
plans or another individual question they should
contact us and book a one to one session’.
Many other industries already
comply with these regulations which implement
the European Integrated Pollution Prevention and
Control (IPPC) Directive regulations. These include
food processing sites, chemical works, landfill
sites and power stations. The intensive livestock
sector is the last sector to be permitted, which
has given pig and poultry farmers extra time to
prepare.
For more information about applying
for an PPC permit or to arrange a face to face
meeting with your local Environment Agency agricultural
PPC officer call 08708 506 506 or go to www.environment-agency.gov.uk/farming
Editors notes
East Midlands facts and figures
520 poultry for every
farmer (person employed in agri) in the East Midlands
28 pigs & 1390 poultry for every registered
agricultural holding in the East Midlands
5 poultry for each person that lives in the East
Midlands
Over 13,000 pigs per MP in the East Midlands Region
Every child under the age of 14 in the East Midlands
could have a pigs ear each.
