Environmental damage at the tipping point

We’ve seen people protesting, blocking roads and even gluing themselves to buildings.

This has got people talking, regardless of where you stand on this type of action.

But caution is needed when passions are high and some of the rhetoric I’ve heard about climate change and farming, beggars belief. Some of this ill-informed information needs addressing.

Let’s be clear, Shropshire farmers are committed to soil and plant health, renewable energy, science and innovation, while driving down emissions, all while growing food to feed us.

We’re worth just 10 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions and are looking to lower it further. British beef production is also 2.5 times more carbon efficient than the global average. Every one of us is at the coal-face (excuse the fossil fuel reference) and we do need to consider our footprint. However, in Shropshire all you’ll currently see blocking our rural roads and laybys are mountains of fly-tipped waste, not activists holding hands.

Flytipping is a source of pollution, a potential danger to public health and a hazard to livestock and wildlife.

Local authority costs run to millions of pounds – money that could be better spent elsewhere – perhaps on social care or even reducing our footprint?

The official statistics are bad already but omit the majority of flytipping on private land.

The NFU will continue to fight against the flytipping scourge but we need to keep the pressure on and see tougher penalties for those responsible.

We’re also pleased the Environment Agency will set up a joint national waste unit next month, involving the police and HMRC, but it is imperative landowners are involved at every stage, as they’re the ones at the sharp end.

In the meantime let’s all do our bit to take more ownership when getting rid of our waste – it’s something that could have an impact right here, right now.

Oliver Cartwright, NFU Shropshire