THE WELSH government body Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has been criticised by Avara Foods for a lack of communication.
Avara Foods agriculture director John Reed told BBC Radio the firm had “very little” contact with NRW about the River Wye.
See also: Avara Foods reveals new manure management plan for River Wye
The poultry processor recently published a ‘roadmap’ to ensure farms in its supply chain no longer contribute excess phosphate into the River Wye.
In an interview broadcast on BBC Hereford and Worcester, Mr Reed said the firm had been speaking with the Environment Agency – the English agency – for several weeks.
But for NRW, there had been no “meaningful dialogue”, and the level of contact had been “really frustrating for us”.
‘Complex issue’
” This is a really complex issue,” said Mr Reed.
“The only way to find the solutions is to get it out on the table, understand what’s going on, build up the facts, be collaborative and seek solutions.”
He said: “We are frequently accused of being the biggest problem yet, if we were the biggest problem, you would expect all these agencies to be knocking on our door first.”
Meanwhile, MPs sitting on the Welsh Assembly Select Committee in Westminster held a one-off session to examine sewerage discharges in Wales.
They heard from Wye Valley environmental campaigner Angela Jones, Afonydd Cymru chief executive Gail Davies-Walsh and Jon Khoo, chair of Surfers against Sewage.
You can listen to John Reed’s interview at the following link:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0f1jdsj
Or the full Select Committee hearing here:
