Bird scarers and deterrents are an essential tool to protect many crops from damage.
However, if used thoughtlessly they can seriously disturb the public - and that could fuel the pressure for strict legal controls or a ban on their use. The NFU is reminding members that just a few inconsiderate actions could threaten the ability of all growers to protect their crops in future.
Recent correspondence has suggested some areas of contention around bird scarers in some parts of the country.
Click here to download a copy of the NFU Bird Scarers Code of Practice.
- Mrs L Gold - 26/01/2012
Annoyed in keyworth.NOTTS. why on earth do these things go of every morning at eight and carry on till 4 every day.Sometime i have counted 4 blasts every 10mins. It is not good enough and what makes it worse is I have a pet dog who is absolutely pettrifed on walking around keyworth, because of the constant noise. and let me make it clear i'm not the only one in this situation. Surely the crops have come through now and there is no need for this continuing noise.If it carries on much longer i'm affraid i will have to get the police involved. Please excuse the typing.
Regards.
Mrs L.Gold
- Annoyed in Kendal - 01/11/2011
It is November and in view of the lack of crops being grown, I see no reason that these gas guns should be in use. The land it is coming from has no crops on. I live on a lovely housing estate, but can't open my windows as it's too loud and this scarer is over two miles away. We can hear it inside the house with the windows closed. It does two blasts about 10 seconds apart and does this about 10 times in an hour, so about 20 blasts. Siren devices would be much better tolerated. However in view of the nuisance it has caused, I have reported the matter to my Environmental Health Office and am encouraging my neighbours to do the same. They are keen to deal as they had a similar situation last year. I fully support farmers in what they are trying to achieve, but not at the expense of my quality of life. The farmers who use these are selfish. Turn them down, or turn them off and if you can't do that, then let's all call for an outright ban.
- PJM - 21/10/2011
There seems to be a popular misconception that these devices are being deployed for “a few vital weeks throughout the year”.
THEY ARE NOT
I moved to South Norfolk with my partner a couple of years ago. We had been looking for our dream rural property for us to spend the rest of our days together for over 4 years.
A few months after we moved in, in September 2010 the guns started, gradually more and more of them being deployed in the fields around us growing oil seed rape.
In January 2011 and In addition to the tens of guns constantly going off in the area, a total of 5 gas guns were placed in the field adjacent to our property, one within 100 metres of our home.
South Norfolk District Council were contacted and after much procrastination and filling out of forms, an officer was despatched to assess the situation.
Within a few days a letter was received informing us that although SNDC agreed that the guns were an annoyance, they did not consider them to constitute a statuary nuisance, and as such there was nothing they could do.(Standard procedure –apparently)
The constant bombardment starting before 06:00 until 22:00 seven days a week and even on Christmas Day, lasted until late April /early May, a total of 8-9 months by which time both of our lives had been made a living hell and the situation had put a serious strain on our relationship.
We enjoyed a month of tranquillity until June, when for some reason the guns once again started.
The effect on my partners mental health was so catastrophic she had to temporally move out of our home and seek alternative accommodation.
In view of her mental state caused as a direct result of the use of these devices, totally in breach of NFU guidelines, she has not been able to return to our home.
I am unable to sell the property and move, which is what I would dearly love to do and leave South Norfolk and all its greedy industrial farmers behind.
If I were to market the property, I would be lucky to have two months of the year in which to attract viewings when gas guns were not being deployed. If I were lucky enough to receive an offer, I would have a legal obligation to inform the purchaser of my compliant to SNDC and no doubt any potential buyer would withdraw.
The only choice I have is to spend the next 5-10 years living in the property alone, with constant reminders of my partner and the excitement we both once shared when moving into the home we had both worked so hard for. All with a constant reminder of what has destroyed our lives continually blasting away around me.
Financially we have lost everything we worked so hard for, for over 25 years.
Now all that is left are two human beings that do nothing more than exist, apart.
All due to the unregulated use of propane gas guns.
BAN THEM NOW!