NFU Scotland’s campaign to bring common sense to the proposed charges for water abstraction stepped up a gear this week with separate meetings involving officials from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and MSPs.

NFUS believes the proposed charges, currently out to consultation, are completely disproportionate and could significantly reduce the production of vegetables and potatoes in Scotland. Under the current proposals, most producers taking on new land to grow potatoes or vegetables would face a registration charge of nearly £3000, a figure for which to date there has not been any justification. It is good practice to rotate the land on which these crops are grown, to protect against disease. The proposed charge would make such a move uneconomical.

NFUS had a productive meeting with SEPA officials to drive home the point that the potential impact of the proposals was not what was intended. NFUS is also raising the issue with the Executive as they establish the framework under which SEPA sets and recovers its administrative costs. Last night, farmers from the Lothians met their local MSPs at Holyrood to express concerns at the proposals.

NFUS Vice President, Bob Howat, said: “Scotland has always had good water quality in most places. The EU Directive behind all this was primarily designed to tackle the problems associated with large water use in areas where water is not in plentiful supply. I can see why this is a big issue in drought areas of Europe, and in the few areas of Scotland where any issue is uncovered a framework will be required. However, last time I looked out of the window, we weren’t exactly short of rain.

“At a time when the Executive is right behind healthy eating initiatives, it is unacceptable to have a charging system which may actually reduce the amount of local, healthy potatoes and vegetables being grown. That is not scare-mongering. That is the genuine feedback we have from our members on the ground. The proposed charging system would make the taking on of new land for vegetable or potato production uneconomical.

“We have engaged with SEPA officials at an early stage to discuss our grave concerns over the plans. They have assured us they have absolutely no intention of causing a reduction in the amount of production. Both SEPA and the Executive must look again at the proposals following the consultation.

“Everyone is signed up to protecting the water environment - it is in growers’ interest to. But we can do that with a risk assessment based charging system that recognises that there is no real water supply problem in most of the country and it would be in no-one’s interest to see a reduction in the production of potatoes and vegetables.

“We are raising this with the Executive, continuing our dialogue with SEPA and I would also like to thank the many MSPs who have responded to farmers’ concerns over the plans.”

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