Manure Management

Spreading Agreements

During the previous application for 8,100 cows (09/1040/FUL), it was noted that Mr Robert Howard was present at Nocton Dairies' presentations and also featured in an occasional press report. However, since the new application (10/1397/FUL) has been formulated, his name does not appear at all on the Nocton Dairies' website, nor has he been quoted in the Press recently. Yet, I see his land is still intended to be used by the Nocton Dairies consortium for spreading digestate (438ha), so it seems he still features significantly in the plans for this operation.

Perhaps this move into the limelight was prompted by a letter that has come into my possession recently:

"Mr R. Howard
E M Howard Ltd
Nocton Rise Farm
Nocton
Lincolnshire

25 October 2010

Dear Mr Howard,

Proposed Development of Nocton Dairies Ltd to Build an 8100 cow super dairy.

As you may be aware, a number of concerned local residents set up a campaign group, Campaign Against Factory Farming Operations (CAFFO) to raise their objections to the proposed Nocton Dairy. We write to you to ask you to review your involvement with this proposal. It is our firm belief that this development will do untold harm to the village of Nocton, and other surrounding villages. For many generations the Howard family has been closely associated with Nocton and as your business has flourished and grown, so has our community. This has been a symbiotic relationship and one which has brought the Howard family respect and influence within the community over many years. CAFFO are not averse to progress, but not at any expense.

We are particularly concerned that the continuing uncertainty around the dairy is having a detrimental effect on the harmony of the village.

We appreciate that your revised planning application has yet to be re-submitted. However, although a number of us attended your “open evenings” earlier last month they learned nothing to suggest that any new application will differ markedly from that submitted previously. As such we would wish to reiterate our concerns which can be summarised as follows:

• We see no benefit from this development and if the experience from America of such concentrated agricultural units is repeated we believe noise, smell and fly infestation will overwhelm our community.

• The opportunity for employment appears limited with the majority of jobs being targeted at Eastern European workers. Whilst we continue to enjoy an excellent relationship with the employees currently working in Nocton, the plans for the dairy do not bring high skill employment to the area.

• The development calls for slurry spreading completely surrounding our village which we feel is unacceptable. In addition Nocton is directly downwind from the proposed site, raising pollution and public health issues in terms of windblown dry particulate pollution.

• The colossal volumes of slurry produced by 8,100 cows is equal to two cities the size of Lincoln which is being produced close to the aquifer that supplies 40% of our water supply. With this threat in mind we have looked into the slurry and waste management history of the sites managed by the directors of Nocton Dairies Ltd causing us grave concerns as to their ability to manage such an operation.

• Many countries around the world are moving away from this type of factory farming due to the environmental damage caused. In America an operation similar to that being proposed by Nocton Dairies Ltd would require an 8 mile habitation exclusion zone. In Nocton, as you will know, the nearest homes are less than half a mile.

• If planning permission is granted and only one of the above issues is the result, the support you have unconditionally given Nocton Dairies Ltd will have a devastating effect on the excellent name the Howard family has so long cherished and developed within our community. The scenario we are looking into is Nocton becoming a ‘ghost village’ with residents relocating for health reasons or simply because the development has blighted our environment.

• We are aware that at the public meetings held on the 6th and 7th August to allow residents to express their views on exit over 90% of those attending remained opposed to the plans.

Mr Howard, your family has an excellent, ethical reputation in Nocton which has taken a lifetime to build but will your decision in chasing profit at the expense of our environment now cause you to lose it in just a moment?

We maintain that the proposed super dairy in Nocton should not proceed and put at risk the quality of life and health of the villagers and we would urge you to reconsider your decision to support the venture.

Yours sincerely,

On behalf of CAFFO"

I understand from the writer that no reply has been received to date.

Other Agreements

It is also interesting to note that two other farms have emerged as supporting the new venture with spreading agreements, Nocton Fen Farms Ltd (1014 ha) - (see http://nocton.blogspot.com/2010/07/nocton-fen-farms.html ) and Stainfield (192ha), since Blankney Estates and Patrick Dean Ltd fell by the wayside.

I see that a new pipeline is being proposed by Nocton Dairies, to pipe digestate from the new anaerobic digester on Nocton Heath, down to Wasp's Nest, from where it will be distributed by tanker along the very narrow lane of Nocton Fen Road.

I also notice the Nocton Fen Farm land is classed as being in a Very High Risk Area within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (according to Nocton Dairies' Manure Management Plan)... but I see not only is it scheduled to handle the digestate output from the Nocton Dairies anaerobic digester, the same land is also expected to be able to cope with the output of digestate from Nocton Fen Farms' own digester, for which they have been granted planning permission by Lincolnshire County Council (10/0206/CCC).

Somewhat bizarrely, the other land made available to Nocton Dairies is out at Stainfield, almost 10 miles away from the pipe outlet. I bet local residents in Wasp's Nest, Bardney and Stainfield didn't realise that they could possibly be affected by the Nocton Dairies operation when this was first announced... and if permission is granted they will now be subject to tankers of digestate trundling through their villages on a regular basis.

•  Why is it I get the sense that Nocton Dairies have struggled with obtaining permissions for locating sufficient land for their manure spreading?

•  Perhaps this is the reason why they have now submitted plans for such an odd number of cows (3,770)?

•  Is it because the mathematics of land availability would not in reality support 4,000 in the application, leaving an acceptable surplus?

•  Will these land agreements be somewhat more robust than those originally sought from Blankney Estates and Patrick Dean Ltd?

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