Labour's fly-tipping humiliation complete as farmer's cow granted waste removal licence
EXCLUSIVE: A farmer who was granted a waste removal licence for her heifer has warned that "a system that can't stop a cow can't stop a criminal".
The Labour government’s failure to crack down on fly-tipping has been exposed by a farmer who was granted a waste disposal permit for her cow. Ann Maidment, 42, who has a family farm in north Wiltshire and is also director of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) South West, became suspicious of the lax rules around disposal licences after learning that a record 1.2 million fly-tipping cases were reported last year. Curious about how far the boundaries of acceptable licence applications would stretch, she registered her Charolais cross heifer, named Beau Vine, by entering its name and address and paying a small fee.
“The process took under five minutes, and it was approved in about three seconds,” she told the Express. “A system that can't stop a cow can't stop a criminal.” “It’s scary to think but organised waste crime is thriving,” Ms Maidment added. “That’s partly because the barriers for entry are so low. Rural communities deserve better.”
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Criminals take advantage of the system by offering disposal services at cheap prices and dumping rubbish in rural areas, roadside lay-bys, industrial estates or on private land.
In some cases, the waste includes hazardous material such as asbestos and chemicals, posing a risk to human health and the environment.
Local authorities across the country recorded 1.26 million fly-tipping incidents in the 2024/25 year, marking a 9% annual increase, according to GOV.UK data.
Research by the CLA also showed that almost three quarters of farmers are affected each year, with some targeted multiple times a month.
Each incident costs around £1,000 to clear, with 85% saying they had invested in security measures including CCTV as a result.
“There should be proper identity checks and verification at the point of licensing which will hopefully prevent further fly-tipping in the countryside by criminals who pass themselves off as legitimate waste disposal workers,” Ms Maidment said.
Local authority budget constraints mean the most efficient way of tackling the problem is at a national level, she added, through widespread licensing reforms.
“We want the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Environment Agency to work with us to make it harder for criminals to target communities around the country,” she said. “If a cow can get a licence, who is the government actually turning away?”
A Defra spokesperson said: “Waste crime is a scourge on local communities.
"We are working across government to wipe out illegal waste throughout the country and make those responsible pay including significant reforms to the carriers, brokers and dealers regime.
“We are directly supporting the Environment Agency to stop the exploitation of our waste system, including a £43 million boost to waste crime enforcement, and tougher sentences for those who break the law.”
