The NFU has recently submitted a response to proposed changes to the BREF.
The NFU sits on the Technical Working Group which reviews the BREF. The response submitted to the proposed BREF changes was fed into by members and industry colleagues including NPA, BPEX, BPC and our regional colleagues to create a joined up approach. Thank you to everyone that contributed to the process.
As the BREF is so large (824 pages) the briefing (in related documents)only focus’ on a handful of key issues which the NFU commented on. These include:
- Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
- Manure management
- Monitoring of emissions
The ‘BREF’ is the European guidance document for the Industrial Emission Directive (formerly IPPC) for the pig and poultry sectors.
It outlines Best Available Techniques (BAT), or best practice, covering a range of activities on farm which must be transferred into guidance (e.g. how to comply) in England and Wales.
It is enforced by the Environment Agency in England and Natural Resources Wales in Wales.
The BREF was last updated in 2003 and is now being revised.
Next Steps
All comments have been submitted to European Commission Joint Research Centre (the EU's scientific and technical research group) who will consider them and then hold a final Technical Working Group meeting in Quarter 2 of 2014 where the document will be signed off. It is then the responsibility for all Member States to translate the BREF accordingly. In our case this will be carried out by the Environment Agency and all permitted farms will have 4 years to comply with the changes.
Key members of the Technical Working Group are going to meet at the end of November to discuss Member State comments and a strategy going forward. We will endeavour to keep you updated on any progress made.