He writes…
Fly-grazing is selfish and irresponsible, shows a lack of respect to farmers and a void of compassion when it comes to animals. I’ve visited some of the worst hit British farms and seen first-hand the damage it can cause.
I’ve seen ruined crops, broken gates, cut fences and damaged property.
I’ve been told of disputes and threats of retribution leading to fears for the safety of farmers and their families.
Removing other people’s horses from farmland is an expensive, difficult and stressful experience.
“Fly-grazing: the practice of placing horses on private and public land without permission.”
That is why I am delighted to see the NFU’s hard work and lobbying start to pay off for our members through the Control of Horses Bill. The legislature has cleared its final Parliamentary hurdle and is now ready to receive Royal Assent and become law.
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The effort hasn’t been without its obstacles and it may surprise some to hear that it started out as a Private Members’ Bill tabled by Julian Sturdy, MP for York Outer. On behalf of the NFU, I’d like to say a big thank you to Julian and his team for their determination to get us to this point.
So, how will the new powers help our NFU members?
Firstly it allows local councils and landowners to deal with horses after four working days. Previously we had to wait for 14 days before we could act.
Secondly, we now have more options to deal with unclaimed horses. This includes private sale, gifting to a charity or humane euthanasia.
We worked closely with both Julian and local York member David Shaw, who had experienced significant occurrences of fly-grazing, to ensure that any new powers secured would be for the benefit of our members. This included successfully securing an amendment to the Bill which extended it to any land in England and gave powers to detain horses to freeholders and occupiers of private land.
We’re not on the home stretch yet, but make no mistake that these new powers are definitely a step in the right direction for our members and the farming community.
If members are experiencing problems with fly-grazing on their land, you should contact NFU CallFirst on 0370 845 8458.
*The new laws will come into effect two months after the Bill receives Royal Assent, which is scheduled for Thursday 26 March.