Nocton Dairies responds to concerns over super dairy plans
'NOCTON Dairies has responded to concerns over groundwater pollution, smell and noise raised during the consultation on its plans for a 3,770-cow dairy unit in Lincolnshire.'
Nocton super dairy farmer hits out at critics
'One of the farmers behind plans to build a 3770-cow 'super dairy' in Nocton in Lincolnshire has hit out at criticism over the way the project has been handled.'
Peter's letter can be read here:
But do the critics have something worthwhile to say?
First - I believe the dairy industry is its own worst enemy... with competing tension all the way through the supply chain. At the end point you have hugely influential supermarkets using milk as a loss leader at the expense of others in the industry. In the middle you have processors competing against each other on price, fixing farmers into restrictive contracts. At the bottom of the pile you have the hard-working farmer trying to produce the milk on very small margins. A proper market price should be paid in future for every litre of UK milk produced... and if supermarkets want to undercut each other, or tempt the public through their doors with cheap promotions, they should do it out of their own profits, not at the expense of the dairy farmer. No wonder Mr Willes thinks intensive dairying is the way forward... but if he thinks he is going to gain some clout with the supermarkets by increasing his herd size, I very much doubt that will happen. I also doubt that he will compete any better on the world stage, considering some of the unregulated production methodologies and cheap labour used overseas. We can't compete on price, but we can certainly compete on quality... and supermarkets would do well to remember that... because in time the consumer may well do so.
Second - turning to communication. Nocton Dairies Ltd have already admitted their liaison strategy has been somewhat flawed. Perhaps if they had approached the matter differently in the first place, by working in partnership with the local community when plans were very much in their infancy, they might not have encountered such an adverse backlash. It is also important to understand there are many varied and valid reasons why people are 'up in arms' over the adoption of intensive dairying, not least the huge concentration of waste produced... and these issues need to be understood and acknowledged by the whole dairy industry. One thing I have yet to understand though, is why the hell didn't Nocton Dairies Ltd realise the potential problem of having a fragile aquifer beneath the very site chosen for their planned development? When the land was originally purchased from Nocton Farms Ltd, surely their agricultural advisors would have expressed concerns over the sensitivity of the land... and if this was 'glossed over' then I suspect there is an expensive lesson learnt, for this has been their 'achilles heel'. With local concern very much focused on the potential polluting effects of this industrial-style dairy, developers would do well to realise you cannot sway opinion or push plans through by force alone. Nocton Dairies Ltd have only themselves to blame for the massive public outcry unfortunately.
Lastly - I too am a true believer that diversity of British production is key. No one way is best. Diversity should not cause problems for others in the supply chain though e.g. if an intensive dairy threatens to undercut and remove the market for others in the industry, it's no wonder there is dissention in the ranks. Removing the tension by making sure everyone gets a realistic cut from the production of dairy has to be the right way forward. No longer should it be acceptable to make a profit out of someone else's loss. Nor should developers force their will on local communities, without considering all the possible implications. Whatever the outcome of this planning application, the dairy industry really needs to debate the many issues encountered along the way to see what can be learnt... and to do this there has to be 'joined up thinking' .
Where does it go from here?
If planning permission isn't granted, there are few alternatives left for Nocton Dairies Ltd:
- Appeal the decision (and await the outcome).
- Radically adapt the plans and submit a fresh submission (hoping to satisfy all concerns).
- Put the land up for sale (EM Howard Ltd, Blankney Estates and Patrick Dean Ltd might like to expand!) and choose to develop one of the alternative sites (Goole, Ince Blundell, Nocton Fen, Parkham or Withgill).
- Keep the land, but use it as an ongoing agricultural concern (widening their business portfolio).
If another application were to come this way in the short term, particularly in this locality, I very much doubt Nocton Dairies Ltd would get an easier ride. Much water has passed under the bridge and I believe there is now little trust remaining. As is often the case, it is not what is being done that matters, but how one goes about it that is really important.
A great deal of research has now been carried out into intensive dairying, other organisations across the UK have taken a huge interest in the development and close working relationships with local campaign groups have been established. There is also much political interest and sympathy for the concerned residents (or 'antis' as we were often labeled by the applicants). Is it any wonder our MP's are stepping up the scrutiny of the UK dairy sector?
MPs investigate EU's plans for dairy sector
'MPs have launched an inquiry into the EU’s proposals for the dairy industry to examine how they might affect UK farmers.'
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I can't comment on the other locations - but Nocton Fen has as many issues as Nocton Heath - flood plain and worse road infrastructure for starters ... If they moved the cows away from the aquifer and took the example of Central Sands - their US inspiration - and divided their herd into 10 sections, ensuring none of those groups were near any sensitive water sources or flood plains - plus used the patchwork of land remaining for crops - that would be truly diverse and use the land for its more lucrative and suitable purpose; growing food! This way Nocton Dairies could make a profit, protect the environment and please local people. There still won't be any real increase in local employment prospects unfortunately - but that was always a red herring.
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