The Ulster Farmers’ Union has withdrawn its co-operation from the RSPB, following disagreements over the hedge cutting closed period. The union has accused the RSPB of refusing to engage in “meaningful negotiations” on reducing the closed period.  

Farmers in Northern Ireland are prohibited from trimming hedges between 1st March and 31st August, as farmland birds nest during this period and hedge cutting could disrupt nesting. According to the latest data, released last year, farmland bird populations have reduced in number and variety by around 50 per cent in the past 30 years. The worst hit species have seen populations drop by up to 90 per cent.

However, the UFU has claimed the closed period is shorter and more flexible in other parts of the UK and should be reduced in Northern Ireland.  The union accused the RSPB of “intransigence” which has prevented the period being shortened. It claimed farmers need the option to trim hedges in August where necessary to ensure the completion of essential field work.

image expired

UFU President John Thompson said, “It is regrettable that we have had to take this course but the RSPB’s unwillingness to negotiate properly on this issue has left us with no option.  The problem is compounded by the fact that DARD [Department of Agriculture and Rural Development] have been unwilling to take the necessary steps to bring our closed period into line with other UK regions because of the RSPB’s stance. 

“This is a genuine issue which our members regularly raise with the Union’s leadership team.  Being unable to trim hedges in August can cause real operational difficulties for farmers.  Having the option to trim hedges in August would facilitate necessary farming practices such as reseeding or the sowing of winter crops at a time which is most suitable for their establishment.” 

The union said it will continue to lobby for a shorter closed period.

The RSPB said the UFU’s decision was “regrettable” but that its demands are not backed up by any supporting evidence. An RSPB spokesperson stated that the current schedule already represents a compromise, as farmland birds including the yellowhammer can nest into September, pointing out that, as many of the species are protected, disrupting nesting can result in prosecution.

In a briefing outlining its position issued last May, the RSPB stated, “The Single Farm Payment is funded by public money to protect the environment so it is unclear how DARD could justify changes to the current cutting dates given the scientific evidence. For Priority Species, a change could compromise existing publicly funded efforts to support their recovery.”

RSPB spokesperson Anne-Marie McDevitt told Farming Online, “Given that many hedgerow-nesting species rear young in August, extending the hedge-cutting window into that month would invite land managers to break this law and their cross compliance regulations stipulated by their Single Farm Payment.

“It is unfortunate that the UFU feel the need to disengage from the RSPB’s work in Northern Ireland. We have been more than happy to discuss the scientific evidence that supports the current dates, which are set and controlled by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD).”

Both organisations expressed regret at the split, and gave examples of positive outcomes that have resulted from cooperation in the past; in Northern Ireland, thousands of farmers participate in agri-environment schemes, over 2,000 hectares of wild bird cover is grown annually by the farming community and over 100 kilometres of hedgerow has been restored by farmers.

Tweet