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Behind the HeadlinesYou are in: Beds Herts and Bucks > Behind the Headlines > Fly-tipping frustration for farmers  Fly-tippers in action Fly-tipping frustration for farmersFarming has had more than its fair share of problems over the years, now farmers say they are having to contend with an increase in crime on their property. As well as thefts from farm buildings, farmers are experiencing a massive problem with fly-tipping, and illegal traveller camps on their land. Peter Clarke runs Kingcup Farm in Buckinghamshire and told the ´óÏó´«Ã½ about the problems he's experienced. "Fly-tipping has become an increasing problem for us - certainly since the Landfill Tax was introduced.Ìý It's now very tempting for people to just drive out into the countryside and dump their rubbish in some dark place rather than dispose of it properly" said Peter.  An increasing problem for farmers "We've gone to a lot of trouble to try to protect our land; we've dug new ditches, put up earth banks, blocked gateways – but we still get problems.ÌýÌý We've had burned out cars, 20-tonne loads of builders' rubbish, even hazardous waste dumped on our farm." The inconsideration of a minority of people causes a huge head-ache for land owners... "Essentially, if anything is dumped on my land it's my responsibility to get rid of it," explained Peter. "I have to pay to get the rubbish removed in the first instance and then pay the Landfill Tax as well.Ìý In fact, I would like to see some of the money that the Government is collecting in Landfill Tax used to subsidise the removal of rubbish from private land – that would be a great help!" "It's just another significant expense for farmers, particularly for those of us with farms on the urban fringe" And it's not just unwanted rubbish that gets dumped… "We've also had problems with livestock being dumped on our land!" said Peter.  Asbestos dumped on farmland "Last winter, someone decided to leave some sheep in one of our fields.Ìý It's then extremely complicated to get rid of them because now all livestock have to have passports and various pieces of paperwork to verify their origin before they can go to market.ÌýÌýÌý "I understand it's quite common for ponies to be dumped on farm land as well.Ìý The Police don’t really want to knowÌý - there's not much that they can do is there?" It's not all doom and gloom though, on a more positive note, Peter tells us that the problem of unwanted cars being dumped on farmland is decreasing… "Since the price of scrap metal went up thankfully we've noticed a real decline in abandoned and burnout cars being left on our land.Ìý There's very little incentive for people to leave a car in a farm gateway and set light to it when they can get money for it instead!" said Peter. last updated: 05/09/2008 at 13:00 Have Your SayWhat's your opinion of fly-tipping? Should the Government be doing more? Have your say here...
John (Stevenage)
Norman Mellor
David You are in: Beds Herts and Bucks > Behind the Headlines > Fly-tipping frustration for farmers
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