Farmer Perception of water pollution control through Nitrate Vulnerable Zone Designation.

Abstract

This dissertation focused on the subject of Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) regulation, the aim was to determine the farmer’s perception of the regulation with the main objectives set to investigate how farmers perceive their responsibility to the general environment and the importance of water pollution control, whether they consider the methods used to designate a NVZ fair, if they agree with the restrictions imposed by the regulation and to see if there is a significant difference between the attitudes of farmers who are subject to the regulation and those who are not. It is important to uncover the reasons and extent of the disagreement to help regulators to understand why there is opposition to NVZ regulation. To complete this research a closed question survey was developed which focused on environmental protection, NVZ restrictions and the methods used to designate a NVZ, the answers were split into responses from farmer in a NVZ and farmers not in a NVZ and compared, the results showed a trend in the opinions with the majority disagreeing with the methods, restrictions, additional costs whilst also recognising why NVZs are needed. The most significant findings were that the trend differed when the farmers were asked about their opinions on the restrictions. This result showed much more of a difference in opinion between farmers in a NVZ and those farmers not in a NVZ.