Most Farms in Devon and Somerset Meet Water Quality Standards for Livestock

Recent inspections in Devon and Somerset, England, have found that 20 out of 21 farms visited as part of a Food Standards Agency-funded project met water quality standards for livestock. The checks were conducted by the Heart of the South West Trading Standards rural team, who collected water samples from troughs, buckets, and other drinking sources. The tests looked for heavy metals, salmonella, campylobacter, and pesticide residues. One farm was found to have high levels of lead in its water supply.

Key Takeaways:

• 20 out of 21 farms visited in Devon and Somerset met water quality standards for livestock.
• The inspections, conducted by the Heart of the South West Trading Standards rural team, included collecting water samples from troughs, buckets, and other drinking sources.
• The tests looked for heavy metals, salmonella, campylobacter, and pesticide residues.
• One farm was found to have high levels of lead in its water supply, posing a risk to animal health and the food chain.
• The inspections aimed to support farmers, rather than penalize them, with the team advising the non-compliant farmer on improving water quality.
• The project was funded by the Food Standards Agency.

Statistics:

• 21 farms were visited in Devon and Somerset as part of the project.
• 20 farms met water quality standards for livestock.
• 1 farm was found to have high levels of lead in its water supply.
• The tests looked for 4 types of contaminants: heavy metals, salmonella, campylobacter, and pesticide residues.

Sources:

• "Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service"
• "Devon County Council"
• "Food Standards Agency"