Mole man to appeal over loss of business

FORMER mole catcher Peter Brown who lost his business because of EU laws

A former mole catcher who lost his business because of new EU rules, is appealing to the European Ombudsman for justice.

Peter Brown, from Shaw, says the banning of strychnine poison in 2006 by a European Directive has destroyed his one-man business clearing moles for farmers.

No manufacturer was willing to pay millions of euros to provide scientific data supporting strychnine’s continued use as a plant protection product.

And he says other methods, such as trapping and gassing, are too time-consuming and can leave the moles in agony for far longer.

Mr Brown is angry that the UK Government did not oppose the EU’s plans to end strychnine licensing, and that the European Union’s own study into the impact of the directive was flawed.

He said: “They paid three companies to carry out the study and the conclusion they came to was that ‘it is assumed that the knock-on effect and phase out has already created much benefit.’

“What kind of scientific study is that when the conclusion is only an assumption?”

He is appealing to the EU Ombudsman, Nikiforos Diamondouros, for compensation for the loss of his business.

He said: “I have had to go back 40 years and become a farm labourer working seven days a week to earn £14,500.

“For 60 years the use of strychnine was regulated in the UK. Now the trapping of moles is going to the black economy. Farmers are paying £3 a mole.

“It can take moles over 30 minutes to die in traps and up to two days if they are gassed. The gas is based on First World War phosgene gas used to kill soldiers, and needs two operatives in the field.

“I studied and took 15 pesticide courses to do my job, but professional pest operatives have not been able to give their views on this legislation, whereas MPs and MEPs don’t know anything about it.

“Moles leave silage at risk of contamination by soil, and the risk of listeriosis in sheep and cattle. They are a recognised pest.”

Mr Brown, who has been protesting outside the offices of Euro-MP Chris Davies every Friday, because of the MEP’s support for the strychnine ban, said he will continue his protests if the Ombudsman does not rule in his favour.