Author Topic: Feeling fed up... (Read 3391 times)

jward · « **on:** July 21, 2015, 03:19:51 pm »

I've been getting all the excess fruit and veg from a greengrocers for my pigs for the last 8 months. My land is out of town so the veg man delivers it to the house for me in boxes and I take it all over in my car every day after he delivers. And now I've just had a phone call from Trading Standards regarding a complaint from nosy neighbours about the flies and smell - which has only happened this week because I've been busy with a horse with colic - and to do with "animal welfare".

I was asked where I keep the pigs so I told him (think he thought I kept them in the house) and said I'm all registered with CPH, AHVLA herd marks etc. He said he'll have to pass it all on to the AHVLA or someone and let them decide what to do. I said I'll just have him stop delivering the veg.

He asked about my movement documents and herd records and I said I'm all up to date and above board. He then asked how many sheep and pigs I've got - 27 sheep and 2 boars and 7 sows all farrowing. His reply was - it's a very big herd then! I said not really since I've just agreed to supply one farm with all my weaners at 8 weeks old. (I wonder what he thinks is a big herd?)

Just gutted that I do everything above board and some people just go behind your back. I've had pigs for 18 months and sheep for 8 and never had a problem or an inspection or anything and now because of one complaint I've got this.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #1 on:** July 21, 2015, 03:40:59 pm »

First, don't panic! All the Trading Standards and similar folk I've encountered have been reasonable and are used to getting complaints from crackpots. They have to tick boxes like any of their ilk. Not quite clear on whether the neighbours are complaining about smell/flies from the pigs or veg, though?

jward · « **Reply #2 on:** July 21, 2015, 04:24:24 pm »

Thanks Marches Farmer. The pigs are 10 miles away from the neighbours who've complained - it's the veg they don't like. The trading standards bloke made it seem as though the complaint was about "animal welfare" as well as the flies/smell...not sure whether the neighbours don't think I should be feeding it to the pigs or indeed if they've ever seen a pig when it's not on their plate...

Cosmore · « **Reply #3 on:** July 21, 2015, 04:51:02 pm »

I wouldn't worry too much if I were you, the trading standards had to respond to a complaint, irrespective if it was genuine or not, the bloke was just doing his job.....but he obviously couldn't distinguish between animal welfare and public health/nuisance matters and has little idea of a big herd, lol! To me anything over 500 sows is a big herd!
From what you've said, your paperwork is all up to date, the animals are remote from the complainants and you've taken the sensible step of halting the veg delivery which was the object of the complaint so the matter should be closed.
It's a pain when you get 'interfering busybodies' or 'malcontent neighbours' making complaints but thats life. I had a visit in spring last year from the RSPCA, an individual had reported that I was keepng a pony in a concrete yard with no grazing. I invited the officer in and explained that the pony suffered from bad laminitis and couldn't be put on rich spring grass. The officer immediately said 'I wondered if that was the case, your perfectly correct keeping her off grass'. He saw that the pony was well fed and cared for and was perfectly happy and departed. I wouldn't have minded but I'm sure the complainant was an individual that habitually parked his car in a layby opposite every weekday morning to walk his dog down the verge letting it defecate everywhere without picking up after it! Grrrr!

hughesy · « **Reply #4 on:** July 22, 2015, 08:00:07 am »

Not sure what fruit and veg, smells and/or flies has got to do with the trading standards at all. Not their job. EHO maybe but not the trading standards.

devonlady · « **Reply #5 on:** July 22, 2015, 08:46:33 am »

Surely you would only have fruit flies and they would stay around the fruit! Unless the veg was actually rotten I can't think any smell would be unpleasant. Neighbours

We had one who complained that our little bantie hens crowed and our dogs barked all day, even though they were seven miles away in the daytime. (she is the reason I will never get to Heaven)
Could you not pick up the food, it would be a great shame to have to give it up, so good for the pigs and FREE!
Good luck and I hope the neighbour moves!!

jward · « **Reply #6 on:** July 22, 2015, 02:48:21 pm »

Thanks for the replies everyone. I've now calmed down enough to see that the bloke was just doing his job after the petty complaint.

I've been wondering what it has to do with trading standards too, and have come to the conclusion that - as his words were "a concern regarding animal welfare" - that the neighbours don't think I should be feeding the veg to the pigs??? Best of it is is that they've never seen the pigs, and there wasn't any flies either, a couple of wasps at the most. The stuff I get is absolutely pristine and it always amazes me the quality/quantity that would usually be thrown away. Best fed pigs we say.

devonlady - I've spoken to the veg man and he's kindly offered to drop it off at the farm now as it turns out he has another shop and is passing all the time.

So hopefully all should be ok even if Hartlepool TS has passed it on to Stockton TS as that's where piggies or to anyone else.