NFU urges farmers to check NVZ maps

Farmers have only a few weeks left to prepare appeals against proposed changes to Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, the NFU has warned.

The position of NVZs are reviewed by DEFRA every four years. In the past, farmers have had three months to appeal against a designation of a zone, but that period has been cut short this time around.

Maps showing the area designations were published on 17 May, said NFU environment consultant Michael Payne.

“These are the definitive proposals which will become NVZs on 1 January 2013, subject to the outcome of any farmer appeals,” Mr Payne said.

Publication of the maps will be followed in mid-June by a letter from DEFRA telling farmers about the designations.

The letter acts as a formal notice, triggering a 28-day appeal period,” Mr Payne said.

“That gives the producer little time to challenge a proposal which has been wrongly designated as an NVZ, he warned, and urged farmers to study the NVZ maps as soon as possible.

“We are concerned that, especially for complex cases, the appeal period DEFRA has allowed will be too short for some farmers,” he said.

“There is a risk that the more difficult cases will have to be rushed. Or farmers will be forced to hope that the Tribunals Service, which will deal with appeals, will be sympathetic and allow more time for certain cases,” he said.

In the previous round 700 challenges were submitted, of which 350 were successful.

There was a wide range of challenges. Some maps had the zone boundary drawn in the wrong place. Others appealed after mistakes were found on the direction of flow of a watercourse or it was clear water had been polluted by another source such as a nearby sewage works.

What to do next

• Visit the Environment Agency website.

• Examine the map to see whether you are in an NVZ.

• Click on the map to reveal the detail of designation.

• Study it to see if you have grounds for appeal