Reminder Of IPPC Deadline As Talks On Charges Continue

UK - NFU Scotland is reminding its pig and poultry members that the deadline for applying for permits under the Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) Scheme is 31 January 2007.
calendar icon 21 December 2006
clock icon 3 minute read

NFUS has continually expressed concerns at the financial impact on individual businesses of the charges, which are currently set at £3,590 for application, followed by an annual charge of either £2,521 or £3,157 depending on the size of the farm. However, NFUS is having constructive discussions with SEPA on reviewing the charges. At the same time, NFUS is an observer on discussions between Defra, industry and the Environment Agency on reducing charges in England and Wales.

In the meantime, the current charges are set in law and farmers must apply for permits by the end of January. Not all pig and poultry farmers fall into the scheme, only those with pig units with places for 750 or more sows or 2,000 or more finishing pigs over 30kg. Poultry farms with places for more than 40,000 birds will require a permit.

Application forms are available from SEPA offices or at www.sepa.org.uk

NFUS President John Kinnaird said:

“This scheme and the charges are a legal requirement so farmers above the thresholds have to apply.

“Urging farmers to apply on time takes nothing away from our concern at the level of charges. We met SEPA again last week and had a helpful discussion on the future of charges. As an industry, we’re committed to providing a regime which delivers the environmental protection required, but we believe that can be done without costing individual businesses thousands of pounds a year.

“We are also keeping close contact with our colleagues south of the border as they look to progress discussions with farm assurance bodies and government on reducing the financial impact of IPPC charges.”

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