Fay Jones, Member of Parliament for Brecon and Radnorshire and Cllr James Evans, Conservative Candidate for Brecon and Radnorshire in the 2021 Senedd Elections, have slammed the Welsh Government’s announcement that they intend to introduce a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) across the whole of Wales.
Nitrate Vulnerable Zones are made up of waters which are or could be at risk from agricultural nitrate pollution and all land which drains and contributes to those waters. In these areas, measures must be taken to abide by strict rules to prevent manure, fertiliser and soil getting into watercourses. Currently NVZs make up some 2.4% of land area in Wales, identified by Natural Resources Wales and affecting approximately 750 farm holdings.
Now outside the European Union, Wales has an opportunity to rework what was originally a much-derived European Union NVZ policy to create a system which works for Wales. Instead the Welsh Government announced on Wednesday 27th January that the whole of Wales will be designated an NVZ, some forty times the current geographical area. The additional restrictions, paperwork and financial cost will apply to farmers across Wales, regardless of pollution levels in their area.
Farming unions in Wales have consistently voiced their opposition to plans to designate the whole of Wales as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone. NFU Cymru described the policy as “indiscriminate and punitive” and a “lazy ‘cut and paste’ of the much-discredited EU Nitrates Directive”. The FUW said that the decision “failed to address Welsh concerns and needs” and FUW president Glyn Roberts described the decision as “a betrayal of the principles of evidence-based decision making”.
Welsh Conservatives have expressed their preference for a targeted approach, aiming more stringent measures at area with high levels of nitrate pollution.
Commenting on the decision, Miss Jones said:
“The decision to designate the whole of Wales as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone is untargeted, unnecessary and completely unreasonable.
“Having promised that they would not make a decision on NVZs until after the coronavirus crisis, the Welsh Labour Government has gone back on its word. At a time when farmers are facing significant financial pressures and disruption due to coronavirus, the Welsh Labour Government have proceeded to completely ignore the concerns of farming communities across Wales.
“We all want to tackle water pollution – I myself have been campaigning to clean up the River Wye – but, we need to approach this issue in a targeted and proportionate way. I would like to see measures to tackle pollution in areas which have high levels of nitrate pollution, but there is no point in penalising farmers in areas where there is not a problem.
“Along with most of the farming community in Wales, I am deeply disappointed with this decision and I urge the Welsh Government to reconsider.”
Cllr James Evans, Conservative Candidate for Brecon and Radnorshire in the Senedd elections, said:
“The decision to make the whole of Wales a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone is a disappointing, but ultimately unsurprising move by the Welsh Government. They have failed to seize the opportunity provided by Brexit to create a system which works for Wales and ultimately it is our Welsh farmers who are going to suffer as a result.
“We cannot forget that this decision is supported by our Liberal Democrat Member of the Senedd, who has turned her back on our farming community in Brecon and Radnorshire to prop up an urban-centric Welsh Labour Government.
“If we turn Brecon and Radnorshire blue at the 2021 Welsh Parliament elections, I will stand up for our farming communities and rural way of life. It is time the voice of Brecon and Radnorshire is finally heard in Cardiff Bay.”