Intensive Poultry Farming Hits Record Numbers Across Powys, Shropshire And Herefordshire

Media Release
14^th August 2024

Intensive Poultry Farming Hits Record Numbers Across Powys, Shropshire And Herefordshire

The Brecon & Radnor branch of CPRW, the Welsh Countryside Charity, has long been concerned at the environmental impacts to soil and water quality and to local biodiversity of the rapid proliferation of Intensive Poultry Units (IPUs) in Powys and has been tracking planning applications for almost 10 years. This concern is shared with CPRE Herefordshire and CPRE Shropshire branches who have seen similar expansions of the poultry industry in these counties. Total poultry numbers have now risen to 51 million at any one time in IPUs across the 3 counties.

CPRW’s Brecon and Radnor Branch in collaboration with Dr Alison Caffyn have now updated the poultry map (first published in 2019, with the help of CPRE Herefordshire and CPRE Shropshire) illustrating the density of IPU development across the 3 counties. It is hugely disappointing to find that over the five-year period since 2019 poultry numbers across the 3 counties have risen by over 6 million birds. This increase has been allowed despite widespread news coverage of the ecological collapse of the River Wye and pollution issues in the River Severn.

Margaret Tregear, CPRW Brecon and Radnor Branch, explains: “Urgent action is needed to reduce pollution pressures in the Wye and Severn catchments, including a moratorium on further IPU development. In Wales, there is no central or local government data on approved poultry sheds, and Natural Resources Wales record only those applications which require permits and so there’s been no local or central government oversight of cumulative development or investigation of cumulative environmental impacts. This investigation needs to happen now so that strategic decisions can be made to protect our rivers and biodiversity.”

The River Wye is close to ecological collapse and it is feared the River Severn will deteriorate in the same manner. The River Wye was once a celebrated salmon river but in May 2023 it was downgraded from ‘unfavorable – recovering’ to ‘unfavorable – declining’ by Natural England after species declines. In January 2024, Fish Legal, brought a legal case against Natural Resources Wales for failing to monitor, assess and investigate pollution in the Wye. Proposals (July 2024) by Welsh Government to review regulation of spreading organic materials to land are welcome, but much more urgent action is required to address the current catastrophic pollution issues in the River Wye.

CPRW is also very concerned about threats to plant diversity from ammonia emissions.

Dr Alison Caffyn, Campaigner, Researcher and Expert in the Field, explains “Poultry in Powys, Shropshire and Herefordshire now contribute 10-12 times as much manure within the Wye and Severn catchments as sewage from the human populations of the 3 counties. And yet poultry numbers have been allowed to grow without regard to the cumulative pollution impacts.The 2022 Lancaster University Rephokus Report concludes there is an annual 3 tonnes phosphate surplus in the Wye catchment contributing to river pollution, and the report makes recommendations to bring the catchment into phosphate balance, including destocking IPUs to reduce unsustainable poultry numbers.  There are fears the River Severn will decline further as lessons aren’t being learnt from the crisis in the Wye and Shropshire Council continues to approve large intensive poultry units. There is an urgent need for investigation of pollution in the Severn catchment so as not to repeat the tragedy of the Wye.”

In April 2024, the UK Government pledged £35million to clean up the English section of the Wye, but measures have been judged unsatisfactory by local campaigners as they benefit the farming sector rather than making the polluter pay. There are currently few proposals for the Wye in Wales.

The three counties campaign groups are warning that the River Wye could be ecologically dead in just a few years without urgent action. They are also calling for all stakeholders across the Severn catchment to pool data and assess the severity of the situation, particularly in the upper reaches of the catchment.

To view the map and to find out more visit cprw.org.uk/poultry-poison

Notes to editors:

• For further information please contact: Caroline Conway, CPRW on 07731567488 or via email [email protected]
• CPRW was founded in 1928 making it the oldest rural charity in Wales. The charity is passionate about creating a countryside which works for everyone, aims to protect wild spaces for the next generation and to enable a sustainable rural community for all.
• First Powys poultry map was produced by CPRW Brecon &Radnor in 2016 in time for popular public seminar on the topic of intensive poultry and water quality.
• CPRW Brecon & Radnor Petitions the Welsh Government regarding intensive poultry and environmental damage in 2018.
• In 2019 CPRW Brecon &Radnor together with Dr Alison Caffyn and CPRE Herefordshire and CPRE Shropshire published the first 3 counties poultry map.
• There is a huge increase in poultry numbers in last 15 years across the 3 counties. Totals: 51 million in 2024 (increase of over 6m in last 5 years) of which 41 million in Herefordshire & Shropshire.
• Pollution sources: Official (SAGIS) apportionment of pollution sources contributing to phosphate pollution in the Rivers Wye & Severn: Welsh Wye: rural land use 72% (June 24) Figs across rest of Wye and Severn catchment likely to be comparable.