The National Farmers’ Union of Wales (NFU Cymru) has expressed concern at proposals for increases to Natural Resource Wales’ (NRW) regulatory fees and charges.
NRW is consulting on its charging scheme, with potential changes to be implemented from April 1, 2023, subject to Welsh government approval.
The consultation includes a number of proposals relating to farming, including:
- An increase in the cost of new applications to £3,728 for land spreading of spent or unused sheep dip;
- Changes to permits for farming installations for the rearing of pigs and poultry with the cost of new applications rising from £7,322 to £9,270;
- The cost of permit variations is proposed to rise from £388 to £5,562;
- NRW is also proposing a 6% increase for a number of annual fees it charges to recover the cost of monitoring and assessing compliance with permit conditions.
NFU Cymru reaction
NFU Cymru rural affairs board chairman Hedd Pugh said farmers will be dismayed at NRW’s proposals, following pressures already faced by farm businesses for energy, feed and fertiliser.
“While we understand that the NRW has a duty to recover costs and is unable to cross-subsidise various charging regimes, farmers will be astonished at the scale of the proposed cost increases,” he said.
Pugh said that the NRW proposals to increase sheep-dip costs will hinder efforts to eradicate sheep scab.
“Given the limited options available for treatment of sheep scab – with dipping one of the best options available – farmers will be justified in feeling frustrated at the complete lack of co-ordination across government and its agencies,” he said.
“The proposals are short-sighted and ill thought-out and NFU Cymru will be seeking a full breakdown and justification from NRW for these eye-watering increases.
“For pig and poultry farmers, the proposed increase in charges for new, and variations to, permits come at an already worrying time for the sectors,” he added.
“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 diversification and management options for farmers in Wales in the future,” Pugh said.
Ahead of the NRW consultation closing date of January 6, 2023, NFU Cymru has said it will be consulting with its members and exploring every opportunity to keep costs to a minimum.
