Muck-spreading: The smellier the better as farmers ask for patience
Farmers across East Yorkshire are urging residents to be patient with the strong smells produced by muck-spreading, the twice-yearly process of applying animal manure and treated sewage sludge to fields to fertilise them ahead of the next crop. Farmers say the practice, which follows the harvest, is a natural and sustainable alternative to chemical fertilisers, reducing costs and emissions associated with manufactured products, and argue that while the odour is unpleasant, it is temporary and an unavoidable part of food production.
Farmer Ben Clappison, from Cowlam, explains that manure from cattle, pigs and poultry, as well as human sewage sludge, is spread using GPS-guided technology to ensure it is applied only in permitted areas, with strict DEFRA rules governing sludge use on crops such as wheat and barley. The National Farmers' Union's Angela Kirkwood says a strong smell actually indicates healthy soil, and advises nearby residents to shut windows and avoid drying washing outside during spreading. Councils, including East Riding of Yorkshire, say they will only investigate complaints if odours are "particularly excessive or prolonged", treating muck-spreading as standard, expected agricultural practice.
- Farmers ask public for patience over manure-spreading smells this season
- Process fertilises fields naturally, cutting reliance on chemical fertilisers
- Councils say they only act on "excessive or prolonged" odour complaints
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Farmers in East Yorkshire spread muck, meaning animal manure and treated sewage sludge, on fields twice a year to fertilise the soil before the next crop is grown. It is done after harvest and is a long-standing farming practice, offering a cheaper and lower-emission alternative to manufactured chemical fertilisers. The process typically causes strong, unpleasant smells that can affect people living nearby.
Key figures include local farmers such as Ben Clappison, who describes how the spreading is carried out using GPS-guided machinery to keep it within permitted areas, under rules set by DEFRA, the government department responsible for farming and the environment, particularly around the use of sewage sludge on food crops. The National Farmers' Union, a body representing farmers' interests, has also weighed in through spokesperson Angela Kirkwood.
The issue matters because it sits at the intersection of food production, environmental practice and everyday life for rural residents, who may find the smell disruptive even though it is considered a normal part of farming. Local councils, including East Riding of Yorkshire Council, are involved because they handle complaints from the public, though they generally treat muck-spreading as an expected agricultural activity rather than a problem to be resolved.