Lincolnshire at heart of UK’s poultry pollution problem, Wildlife Trusts warn

Lincolnshire has been highlighted as a hotspot for intensive poultry production in a new report warning that waste from the pig and poultry sectors is polluting rivers, damaging landscapes and threatening wildlife.

The study, commissioned by the Wildlife Trusts and carried out by Cumulus Consultants, found that across the UK, the industry produces 10.4 million cubic metres of waste each year - enough to fill more than 4,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Nutrient-rich manure from chickens and pigs, particularly high in nitrogen and phosphorus, is proving difficult to use sustainably on farmland. Excess spreading leads to pollution in rivers and other habitats, reducing water quality and putting pressure on wildlife.

The report warns the problem is most acute in areas where poultry and pig production is heavily concentrated. Lincolnshire alone is home to around an eighth of England’s broiler flock.

Campaigners say the scale of waste, combined with the need for feed, creates a far bigger environmental footprint than many realise. More than a third of the UK’s wheat crop - up to 580,000 hectares - is grown for pig and poultry feed, with widespread use of fertilisers and pesticides adding to the pressures on soil and water.

Barnaby Coupe, senior land use policy manager at the Wildlife Trusts, said:

“It’s clear that the significant impacts of pig and poultry production in the UK extend well beyond the intensive farming units themselves.

“A requirement for nutrient management action plans and reformed permitting regimes can help address these issues, but crucially there must be support from both Government and industry so farmers are not landed with the burden of fixing this broken system.”

He added that government farming policies must “recognise the true scale of this industry’s impact on the nation’s environmental resilience” and support farmers in transitioning to less polluting systems.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said:

“We share the public’s concern about the health of our waterways and are committed to cleaning up our rivers and cutting down on agricultural pollution.

“We have updated our guidance on the farming rules for water to cut run-off into waterways and doubled funding for Environment Agency farm inspections to drive compliance and support sustainable farm businesses.”