Sept 18, 2012: The NFU is to investigate the scale of ‘flygrazing’ in England and Wales after members warned that the illegal dumping of horses and ponies on farmland is becoming a ‘massive problem’ in some areas.
The issue was highlighted in Country Smallholding last month, and regional NFU representatives recently lined up to talk of the difficulties farmers are experiencing when the issue was discussed at an NFU council meeting, in Warwickshire. David Shaw, who farms near York, has met Farming Minister Jim Paice in London to discuss the issue on behalf of regional members. He called for it to be made compulsory for all horses to carry an ID chip and have passports that include owners’ names and addresses, and for legislation to make it an offence to leave horses in farmers’ fields and other land areas without permission.
