They were involved in a rowdy argument in Boca de Huérgano, a town in the León region of Riaño, that unleashed the anger of the province’s farmers and led to a heated argument between neighbors and businessmen who make their living there. tourism and farmers devoted to grazing their flocks. But what is interesting is not the scope of the conflict or the national resonance it has gone beyond the borders of Boca de Huérgano. No. What’s interesting is what’s at the epicenter of the debate: the manure that cows and sheep leave behind.

The Leonese City Council tried to get farmers to collect the manure from their cattle themselves; This was a requirement that did not fit well with the industry. Result: It didn’t take long for Boca de Huérgano to bounce back.

Discussion regulation. The origins of the debate lie in a regulation approved by the Boca de Huérgano City Council at its general assembly meeting held two months ago, on April 25. The new rule, announced through the Official Gazette of the State of Leon (BOP) and available in full at this link , basically regulated the “care of animals during exploitation, transportation, experimentation and slaughter.” Nothing extraordinary so far.

What sparked the debate was the text’s sixth article, devoted to “common standards” for animals. There, the Consistory spelled out a number of guidelines, such as that livestock must be controlled by the owner to travel on roads, or that cows, sheep and other animals cannot remain in public areas at night to avoid “nuisance” to neighbours. In the older ones, another rule came into play, this one more controversial: farm owners had to collect manure.

“They will be responsible”. The rule was very clear. Basically, after the passage of animals, the streets had to be left clean, without any traces of dung. “If there is accumulation on the road or in a public place while traveling in an urban area, the owner or owners of the same will be responsible for the removal and cleaning of excreta.” Moreover, the regulation even classified leaving abandoned manure as a “minor violation”, although the consequences or sanctions (if any) the farmer would face were not made clear.

Industry anger. Boca de Huérgano is a small town with only 435 inhabitants, although it combines eight other towns. However, its size did not prevent the regulation from causing discomfort among farmers in the region. At the end of May, the agricultural organization ASAJA issued a vocal statement demanding that the Junta of Castilla y León oppose the rule. Their main claim was that the Consistory was invading the powers of other administrations, although the farmers made no secret of their dissatisfaction with the sixth article, fertilizer.

The professional group, which was very harsh on the City Council, said: “The regulation contributes nothing to what has already been enacted, other than obliging animal owners to ‘clean their feces when passing through roads or public spaces’.” he complained. First, he accused him of not having the means to comply with the controls in the regulation. Secondly, he criticized the lack of “empathy” with farmers just when the industry was “complaining about excessive bureaucratic burden”.

…and withdraw from the Council. The effect of the measure was such that the City Council backed down. Just a few days after the ASAJA statement and the news circulating in the media across the country, mayor Tomás de la Sierra confirmed: Spanish Newspaper He intended to leave everything as it was. “This is common sense, but after discussion we decided to withdraw the regulation. The main reason was not to harm the winners.”

The first mayor emphasized that the ordinance wanted to guarantee the “health of the streets” and that its aim was “to make the town as clean as possible”, but admitted that the City Council had made a “mistake” by transposing regional regulations into domestic law. Increase the administrative burden of animal breeders. “Things that were not relevant were included, and farmers rightfully protested having to duplicate documents they had to submit to the Board of Directors and City Hall.”

Livestock and tourism problem. To understand the debate you need to understand Boca de Huérgano, a small town in the Riaño region where about a dozen and a half livestock farms come together, but which also has a significant tourist profile. EPE states that there are approximately twenty hostels, hotels, rural houses, bars and restaurants in the area, which are enjoyed by visitors who come to Riaño to enjoy rural tourism getaways.

A local hotelier, talking about the manure left behind by cattle, admitted to the newspaper: “We all have to live together. It’s not nice to go out and meet them.” Another businessman devoted to tourism reminded that the measure is not much different from the one currently applied to dogs. “If it’s anywhere in Spain, you go with your bag and collect the feces. The owners live with other people, right? It’s the same in this case,” he said.

Where I say regulation, I say side.. Although the City Council has chosen to withdraw the ordinance, de la Sierra insists the town must also maintain its appeal for visitors. Therefore, after giving up the municipal government, he plans to issue a statement with “recommendations” for farmers. “We must give importance to tourism and protect health on the streets” […]. It will depend on everyone’s kindness, but if manure appears on the streets, throw in a small broom. “Farmers will not be fined or persecuted,” the Boca councilman assures.

The Leonese town is not the first to find the complex balance between tourism and animal husbandry. In France, legislation has been passed on this issue, and recently in Spain, a town in Segovia, Duruelo, even installed a sign to warn its tourists: “If you can’t adapt, this is not for you.”

Pictures | Ben Grantham (Flickr) and Asqueladd (Wikipedia)

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