Farm union slams hike in Scots pig and poultry PPC licences

Plans to increase charges associated with environmental permits for pig and poultry farmers in Scotland – in some cases by almost 600% – have been met with stiff opposition.

The proposals, put forward by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa), could vastly increase the cost of both applying for and making changes to environmental permits under the country’s pollution prevention and control (PPC) regulations.

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There are about 80 poultry farms holding permits north of the border, typically broiler or egg units housing more than 40,000 birds.

Sepa says it is both simplifying its charging structure and recovering costs that it had historically underwritten.

“Through improved management and adoption of best practice, the environmental risk posed by intensive agriculture has improved significantly in recent years, but gross margins have not”
Rob Livesey, NFU Scotland

But NFU Scotland says the proposed hike in charges is out of proportion to the environmental risk that poultry farms present.

Its vice-president Rob Livesey said: “Through improved management and adoption of best practice, the environmental risk posed by intensive agriculture has improved significantly in recent years, but gross margins have not. 

“These businesses clearly have a reduced ability to pay and we can see no justification to increase charges.”

‘Disproportionate’ 

Deputy director of policy for the union, Andrew Bauer, added that larger units would be disproportionately hit – with costs up some 81%.

Under the proposals, requesting a “technical variation” – such as expansion – would cost £3,000, up from £431, a 596% increase.

In England and Wales, such a variation would cost £430.

Sepa’s consultation on the proposals for increasing the environmental permits charges closes on 24 September.

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