A farmer is facing a huge bill after more than 200t of fly-tipped waste was dumped on his land.
He estimates that more than 40 lorry loads of rubbish was left on the arable farm, which is on the outskirts of St Albans, over three nights.
As farmers and landowners are legally responsible for removing rubbish, despite being the victims of crime, its estimated that the farmer could face a bill of over £40,000.
Wanting to stay anonymous, he said: “It is just devastating. This is not covered by insurance and there is just no way that I am going to be able to pay this – I don’t know what I am going to do.
“There is a week’s work here to clear it all as well. I have fly-tipping here every week, but I’ve never had it on this scale.
“Farming is hard enough at the moment, and I know many other farmers in Hertfordshire who have had industrial-scale fly-tips on their land. The situation is getting worse, and it disrupts our ability to produce food and care for the countryside.”
The rubbish, which includes cannabis waste, timber and office furniture, has ruined an area of land that had been set aside for farmland birds through the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI).
The NFU is now calling for an urgent meeting with leaders of the district councils, and is working with the local police force, as well as the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and Environment Agency.
It is also applying for funding to help the farmer through the PCC Fly-tipping Fund.
NFU County Adviser for Hertfordshire Josh Redford said: “This is another shocking incident of fly-tipping, which is becoming all too common in Hertfordshire.
“The NFU is taking a very proactive approach to address this and is working closely with local authorities and stakeholders.
“We are calling for an urgent meeting with all district council leaders in Hertfordshire as the next step and we are determined to fight for our members and ensure the people responsible are brought to justice, at the same time deterring others from carrying out this serious and damaging crime.”
NFU member Will Dickinson, who runs a neighbouring arable farm, has been hit by fly-tipping himself on countless occasions and is supporting the farmer dealing with this incident.
He said: “Fly-tipping in Hertfordshire is completely out of control. The local authorities are doing their best, but they need to be better resourced.
“We need to see more arrests and convictions and the full extent of the law used to properly punish the people who do this. When they are caught the fly-tippers are often given a fine which is less than the cost of a skip.
“The farmers, who are the victims of the crime, are left to pay thousands of pounds clearing the waste, which is completely unfair and a travesty of justice.
“This has far-reaching consequences and is a blight on our countryside.”
Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards said: “Fly-tipping on this scale is a disgrace. It has a huge impact on our countryside and can be financially devastating for victims.
“While local councils have the lead responsibility for the investigation and prosecution of fly-tippers, the police will support councils and the Environment Agency with intelligence capabilities, and this collaborative approach is essential.
“Fly-tips of this magnitude are often linked to organised crime gangs, who profit significantly from these illegal activities. I fully support the maximum possible sentences being imposed on offenders when they are brought before the courts.
“To support the clean-up of this site and help prevent future incidents, I am exploring whether this incident is eligible for support through the Fly-Tipping Fund operated by my office.”