Sowing crows are protected, but they cause considerable damage to farmers

(Photo: Pixabay)

According to the farmers’ experience, the stock of crows has increased significantly in several counties in recent years. Crows cause a lot of damage in the fields, pick up the seeds, destroy the crops, and they also appear in increasing numbers in the settlements.

Crows are protected animals – based on European Union regulations – for this reason it is not possible to legally protect against them effectively

In addition, the farmers are not entitled to compensation for the damage caused by them, according to Act LIII of 1996 on the protection of nature. the law does not allow this. The procedure for applying for an alarm and mitigation permit is lengthy, but according to experience, it does not bring results, the permitted alarm methods are not effective, and mitigation can only be permitted in the public interest, but the prevention of agricultural damage is not considered to be such.

The National Chamber of Agrarian Economy (NAK) had previously initiated the modification of the regulatory environment, but it was unsuccessful

In several cases, feedback was received from the authorities and decision-makers that they do not receive a large number of requests for warnings and reductions, and therefore, in their view, crows cannot cause significant problems for farmers. On the other hand, protection has been determined at the EU level, the size of the flock is also examined at the EU level, and there are countries where the number of crows is decreasing.

From this point of view, it is important to have more accurate data on the damages, their scope and extent

For this reason, NAK is launching a national survey among farmers, with the help of its county organizations, recording farmers’ reports of damage caused by sowing crows. Along these lines, the chamber also intends to organize consultation forums with the authorities, the aim of which is to make the legal environment more farmer-friendly, and to indicate the scope of the problem to the legislators with a well-founded demand.

NAK