Ragwort -- prosecutions?

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Dry Rot

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Does anyone here know anything about this subject?

I understand it, it is an offence to graze livestock, including horses, in a field infested with ragwort under the Animal Health & Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 but there appears never to have been a successful prosecution in Scotland.

There is also action that can be taken under the Weeds (Scotland) Act 1959 but it is obvious from my own experiences that DEFRA seldom do anything and, when they do, they haven't read and don't follow their own internal guidelines!

Under Cross Compliance farmers also have a duty to control noxious weeds (including ragwort) if they are to receive the Single Farm Payment which can amount to a considerable sum. Has this ever been stopped for non-compliance?

Is it any wonder that the countryside is infested with ragwort when those who should take action don't seem willing to apply the law? If I sound frustrated by the situation, it is because I am! Every year I spend hours with a knapsack sprayer while neighbours seem intent on encouraging the stuff. Why do we waste our time voting MPs into Parliament to make laws for the bureaucrats and animal charities to ignore?
 
I feel your pain (Scotland also). This year in Aboyne, the horses down the bottom of the ILPH centre drive were in fields riddled with it. Not sure if they were theirs or RDA's who apparently also are down that road. Wish I'd have done more on that one as diabolical role modelling either way.

It probably is up to us as individual horse lovers to be more proactive though. I've promised myself that if it happens again I will take action myself.
 
Sadly around here I find the councils/ government organisations are the worst (roundabouts, verges, railway lines etc.), if internally they can't control the problem then why would they ever bother going after members of the public.

With neighbours I ask if they mind me wandering round with an empty feed sack and sissors and cutting off all the heads before they flower - they normally don't (I don't bother asking the council!), it's a waste of time every year but I think less painful than spraying/ digging up all the new seedlings when the wind spreads them all over my fields !!!!
 
As polos mum says, councils are the worst around here.
No point reporting anyone unless you have the money to back it up. I know someone who took a neighbour to court. Lots of money later and field is still a state.
Last few years the national trust have asked us what to do with their fields. Every couple of years we get them to top, bale and burn and then they don't do anything to change the problem in the meantime.

Have to say though, I don't worry about ragwort on a horse's side, only if absolutely tonnes as it takes so much to do any harm. I only pull to stop it spreading. Docks I find a worse problem.
 
PandorasJar said:
As polos mum says, councils are the worst around here.
No point reporting anyone unless you have the money to back it up. I know someone who took a neighbour to court. Lots of money later and field is still a state.
Last few years the national trust have asked us what to do with their fields. Every couple of years we get them to top, bale and burn and then they don't do anything to change the problem in the meantime.

Have to say though, I don't worry about ragwort on a horse's side, only if absolutely tonnes as it takes so much to do any harm. I only pull to stop it spreading. Docks I find a worse problem.
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Don't think so. Only from what I have experienced and read you need 1-2kg CUMULATIVE over a horse's life to cause liver damage. Of course, well fed horses will not eat ragwort, starving ones get a 'taste' for it. I've seen a ragwort death and it was awful. Never seen one die from Docs though.
 
Cuffey said:
Dry Rot
Do complain with full contact details to your nearest office
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/farmingrural/Agriculture/AOcontacts/contacts

Please copy email to BHS Scotland Development Officer h.mauchlen@bhs.org.uk
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I am afraid this reply is rather long! Are you sitting comfortably?:)

I had DEFRA here on my farm looking at a ditch. They diagnosed cattle damage to the banks of the ditch as rabbit damage (the clue is in the foot prints!:rolleyes:), adding that I had ragwort. I think that last comment was probably to shut me up!

I pointed out that they had just passed a 15 acre field covered in the stuff and promptly lodged a formal complaint with Edinburgh. The field has since been sprayed and to their credit is now free of ragwort. The farmer gets Single Farm Payment so he was presumably told he would lose it if he didn't do something.

The next infestation is almost next door, but only a couple of acres.

The first year (2010), DEFRA told me they were "too busy" to deal with it.

The next year (2011) they claimed they could not serve a notice under the Weeds Act because the owner would not accept a Recorded Delivery letter. Their own guidelines state that a notice can be served by attaching a copy to the premises.

The next year (2012), they did serve a notice. The owner went around with a burner and burnt the tops off the weeds. The result is a carpet of ragwort at the floret stage.

I'm assured action will be taken in 2013....

Meantime, the weeds have spread a bit closer -- DEFRA are "monitoring the situation". I went in and sprayed it and was assured the owners would pull any remaining plants. They didn't and they've seeded.

DEFRA have stated the premises with the carpet of plants is "very severely infested" and have suggest I take the matter up with the SSPCA.

SSPCA were informed as there are ponies grazing the plants but state it is "a very mild infestation" and I should inform DEFRA....:rolleyes:

It is just a shame the ponies have to suffer meantime. They are apparently in good condition, but I have seen them eating ragwort (the field is right beside the road) and I believe they can become addicted to it.

Both the WHW and BHS are aware of the problem but they all seem frightened of treading on each others toes. The owner of the ponies has a history of previous incidents. I have photos. Are there any reporters who might be interested in taking things further? My previous post on here, naming names, was pulled.

Ragwort is now a national problem. The laws are there. Why is nothing done?
 
I'd be interested in any proper research papers you've discovered this in as I've only ever seen it displayed as percentage of body weight, with the figures you've given nowhere near an estimate of what even a mini would need to consume in its life.
I have yet to see a horse eat ragwort even in the traveller fields next to us which are infested.
Docs on the other hand choke the grass and strip away grazing at a huge speed making them turn to other options.
In the grand scheme im far more worried about acorns and bracken than ragwort.
However if an infested field was reinfesting mine I'd be peed off. I keep on top of it because it gets out of control quickly, not because they might eat a plant or two
 
I agree that it seems to be tolerated in Scotland. This year was really bad for it. I keep my fields clear but it's a constant battle when the neighbouring farmer doesn't bother. It's also bad along motorways here which presumably the council should deal with.
 
A neighbouring livery had a problem wih ragwort not helped by a serious infestation on neighbouring land where the absentee owners could not be contacted. Animal Health attended and the livery owner was told that if one of his horses died, he would be prosecuted. He sold his horses and has let the land.

Acts of Parliament are not draughted by accident but usually only after extensive consultation. If the experts tell me that ragwort is poisonous to my horses, I tend to believe them. If the law says action should be taken, the authorities ought to get on with doing what they are paid to do and not complain that "they haven't got time".

Sorry, but I am angry.

The answer to my original question does appear to be that no one has been successfully prosecuted. That is a disgrace.
 
Railway embankments, roadside verges, other land not farmed are all worse than farmland and have noticed ragwort rife at an old equestrian centre (now under new management), and lots of horse grazing fields, we keep a lot of sheep so they control ragwort in grazed fields.
 
I know nothing about this sort of law, but just adding that I made friends with some horses in Scotland, there was a stallion, mares and foals...and a tonne of Ragwort! It worried me sick, but they seemed to avoid it. I hope they're all ok still, this was a few years ago now!
 
bumblelion said:
I had trouble before regarding ragwort. The best advice I received from defra was to contact natural England, they were very helpful.
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But did they actually DO anything or was is another case of pass the parcel?

In my experience, the bureaucrat (not the ones on here, of course!:D) will always take the line of least resistance. I suspect that to get anything done about ragwort we need a few thousand with banners in Parliament Square and that isn't going to happen!

It does seem to be damned silly to have a problem and the laws to deal with it, then to do nothing.
 
I do not think DEFRA have ever prosecuted anyone over ragwort and clearly they take the attitude that they do not have the funds and neither do the local authorities. I think only DEFRA can prosecute but under some grant schemes the grant could be withdrawn over issues regarding ragwort.
 
The Injurious (sp?) Weeds Act is a proper law and clearly drafted to presumably it's ultimately enforcable by the police - BUT the police don't have resources to deal with much nastier crimes (mugging, distraction burglery on old/ vunerable people etc.) and with all the ongoing cuts they will never have time to look into Ragwort - sadly.

I agree it makes most of us angry, the time I waste digging (cutting heads off neighours plants) and money spent on spraying is crazy.

I wonder if it would be possible to do a private prosicution? it wouldn't be dificult to get evidance (photos and some samples to prove it's the right plant) then a court could claim cash from the land owner to not only clean up your my fields but the neighbours also. Maybe if the councils were hit where it hurts (in the pocket) they might do something about it?

Anyone on here a solicitor?
 
Dry Rot
I used to be able to report ragwort infestations in Scotland direct to Scottish Gov Offices on behalf of people who were very worried about upsetting neighbours.

Currently the Offices will only accept complaints from people directly affected, so again those worried about falling out with neighbours end up not complaining.

My local Office--Dumfries--promised me they WILL investigate every complaint

SSPCA WILL DO NOTHING about ragwort. The officer who said that is trying to ''pass the buck''

If you have already taken things this far without satisfaction please contact your MSP and copy that email to Helene Mauchlen. Helene is involved with Scottish Gov at the highest level on animal welfare matters.

I spent years, with others, battling for some ragwort legislation in Scotland as the Gov said ''there was no problem in Scotland''
So I am very disappointed if no action is taken when there is clear evidence of a problem

One of my MSPs Dr Elaine Murray was very helpful--she is a rider and was at that time a horse owner
 
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