Industrial-scale livestock farms across East Anglia have breached environmental regulations more than 700 times in the past seven years, freedom of information (FoI) data has revealed.
The farms across Norfolk and Suffolk are among the largest in the country. Pig and poultry farming is concentrated in the region and 28% of England’s pig population was farmed in the area in 2023.
Copies of inspection and enforcement reports, obtained under FoI legislation and released by the NGOs Sustain and Feedback Global, show how intensive poultry and pig farms have violated environmental regulations at least 776 times. On average the breaches occurred at least twice a week, or nearly 10 times a month, between 2017 and 2024.
Among the breaches documented by inspectors were water, ground and air pollution incidents, including waterways being contaminated with slurry and excessive odours, dead animal carcasses being left outside rather than in sealed containers, farms being overstocked with more livestock than allowed, and irregularities relating to the transport and disposal of farm waste.
The data is published as planning officials are considering an application from Cranswick plc, one of the UK’s leading food producers, for the expansion of its farm in the Norfolk village of Methwold into one of the country’s largest industrial farms, which would produce millions of chickens and tens of thousands of pigs a year.
Several farms owned by Cranswick trading entities Crown Chicken Ltd and Wayland Farms Ltd, have breached environmental permit regulations at least 90 times between them, according to the data. The breaches include intense odours, slurry spreading near residential homes and a lack of record keeping. The majority of breaches resulted in advice and guidance.
A consultation on the proposals by Cranswick, which is being carried out by King’s Lynn and West Norfolk council, closed last week with thousands of objections lodged. Major opposition to the proposal focuses on concerns that there will be a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions that will threaten climate targets nationally and locally.
In a joint submission to the council, Sustain and Feedback Global said a lack of information on greenhouse gas emissions in the application meant it was not legally compliant.
They claim the development could increase emissions by more than 120,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually, contrary to the council’s climate strategy and the UK’s legally binding commitment to achieve net zero by 2050.
Natasha Hurley, the campaigns director at Feedback Global, said: “The finding that industrial farms in East Anglia are committing the equivalent of two environmental breaches every single week starkly underlines why King’s Lynn and West Norfolk borough council must firmly reject the current proposal for a climate-wrecking megafarm near Methwold.
“This newly revealed data clearly shows this kind of US-style industrial farming is absolutely no way to rear livestock, as it leads to a litany of consequences from water, ground and air pollution through to animal welfare issues and foul odours. This is all in addition to factory farming’s colossal climate impact, which jeopardises both local and national climate targets. What more proof does the borough council need that expanding emissions-intensive factory farming as the climate crisis intensifies is total madness?”
Cranswick plc declined to comment.
The Environment Agency said in a statement: “Ensuring clean and plentiful water is one of the biggest challenges we face and a priority for the Environment Agency.
“Our staff work around the country, including in East Anglia, to protect waterways and ensure they are thriving habitats for wildlife and people.
“This includes over 4800 inspections during the last financial year (23/24) to help farmers comply with legal requirements and improve farm practices.”
A spokesperson for King’s Lynn and West Norfolk borough council said of the Cranswick plans: “When published, the planning report will deal with all the issues raised during the consultation.”
Terry Jermy MP, Member of Parliament for South West Norfolk, said he was “appalled and shocked” and called for a “full review” to ensure that environmental protections were in place and were adhered to.
Jermy said: “This is now the time to have a real conversation about intensive factory farming.” He added that many of the farmers he speaks to about this issue tell him: ‘this isn’t farming, it’s industrialisation’.
