NFU urges the Environment Agency to delay charge proposals
NFU explained that a series of increases in application, variation, surrender and annual compliance permit fees, proposed by EA in a consultation document published last November, are disproportionately high.
Furthermore, the NFU says permit systems for poultry farming, landspreading of waste and sheep dip, on-farm anaerobic digestion and flood management would all be affected.
"These proposed huge increases within the charging regimes could have a detrimental effect on many farm businesses," Mark Pope, NFU environment forum chairman, said in a statement. "Very little information has been provided on the basis for these charge changes so the onus is solely on the EA to demonstrate greater transparency and show that these costs are fair, proportionate and competitive."
Mr. Pope added that NFU is concerned that there could be surges in costs tied up with inflated administrative costs and there will be less investment in improving efficiency, productivity and new technology. In addition, these proposals could have another downside regarding the access for new permit applicants.
"We want farming to continue to improve its environmental performance, but these cost increases could be seen as a disincentive to improve management practices or limit the availability of management options in the future," the NFU official explained.
NFU urges the Environment Agency to delay the implementation until at least April 2019 so that it will give the Union time to further discuss with the agency and find ways of keeping costs down for farmers.
“Additionally, a permit nearly always has additional and wider socio-economic and environmental benefits, such as flood mitigation, improvement in air and water quality and waste recovery, which provides wider public goods. This must be recognized when the EA calculates the costs of permit administration," Mr. Pope concluded.
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