Editor

Whilst it may be true that Plaid have concerns against Welsh Labour’s plans to introduce a nationwide Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) and the potentially catastrophic impact this will have on farmers, I was surprised to see that it has not been reported that the Welsh Conservatives have been leading the fight against this.

This has previously been highlighted by Ceredigion’s Welsh Conservative Senedd candidate, Amanda Jenner, who has said on her website that: “the plan will come at a considerable cost to farmers; what we need is meaningful consultation with the agricultural community,followed by a piloted and staged approach, which ensures that farmers are adequately supported as they move in this direction.The minister has not listened to the farming community and this decision has not only betrayed them, but could do more damage than good, should it lead to mass spreading during a shorter period, no matter the suitability of conditions.”

Amanda is right and I sincerely hope that these concerns,highlighted by her and others are taken on board. Most importantly, we need to be led by sound science rather than prejudicial knee-jerk reaction and a blunderbuss approach.Furthermore, there seems to be no recognition of the knock-on effect this (and other decisions) will have on the wider farming-based industry including contractors, suppliers, hauliers etc.

Patrick Loxdale Farmer, Llanilar

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