The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) call for more county council farm inspections adds to the perception that farmers are not acting to protect the environment, according to Laois-Offaly TD Carol Nolan.

Deputy Nolan said that the EPA’s comments made it appear that farmers are getting away with farming practices that impact negatively on the environment.

The TD stated that she was aware that Offaly County Council had been named alongside the other lowest-performing local authorities, alongside councils in Mayo, Sligo, Wexford and Waterford.

“I am also aware however that farmers in Offaly move heaven and earth to nurture and nourish the land which they cherish, and which provides their families with a living, as increasingly difficult as that it is,” she said.

‘Toxic’ perception

Nolan alleged that the actions of some State agencies were alienating farmers in the public sphere and portraying food producers without balance.

“I am sick and tired of agencies like the EPA pouring out this toxic perception of farmers when it comes to environmental ambition. Where is the sense of proportion or balance?” she asked.

“The EPA are now asking for increased inspections and higher levels of enforcement; as if farmers were routinely engaged in bad environmental practices and were just getting away with it because of a lax regime.

“Farmers are among the most highly regulated people of any profession. Indeed, the regulatory burden of the new CAP programme makes that explicitly clear.”

Read more

County councils need to ramp up farm inspections – EPA