the biggest mega-dairy in Europe

Tomorrow is the last day for objections to be raised against planning permission for Nocton Dairies, featured in the recent BBC Panorama programme (see my 'Methane again' post below).


Please click here to raise your objection .

Here’s mine on grounds of animal welfare and emissions.

• The proposed dairy is over 30 times the size of any existing dairy in the UK – this scale raises the question of whether the application is industrial or agricultural.
• Although the application is currently to house 3,700 cows, Nocton Dairies have said they plan to double the number of cows (8,100 in total). It is essential that the proposal before planning officers takes into account this planned expansion.
• The Lisbon Treaty requires EU Member States to “pay full regard” to animal welfare in agriculture. Likewise the Animal Welfare Act 2006 requires that an animal’s needs must be met, including the need to exhibit normal behaviour patterns.
• Intensive dairies rely on particular breeds of cow that have been genetically selected to produce vast amounts of milk. This predisposes the animal to many health problems including lameness, mastitis and metabolic diseases. Cows’ ability to express their normal behaviour is limited by this environment. Keeping cows with little or no access to grazing also increases the risk of these health problems. If they never move, not even to defecate as their waste drops directly into a slurry ditch, they will lose the use of their legs.
• Air Pollution - Emissions to atmosphere from the proposed dairy will include dust, methane and ammonia, as well as odour from manure spreading and storage, and livestock buildings. Let them graze naturally in the open: traditional ley pasture reduces the amount of methane the cattle produce.
Land Pollution - Digested slurry from the facility would be spread on the surrounding farmland, which is designated as lying within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ).
• Water Pollution - The current application does not provide a complete assessment of the potential water pollution risks. The local water aquifer runs directly beneath Nocton Dairies’ proposed site, and it is at risk of leaching and ‘run off’ from the slurry application. There are additional risks of water pollution from day to day operations. Instead it should be composted so it could become a useful soil additive, instead of a threat to the supply of our drinking water, and mutations of fish generated by high hormone infusion.