You reported (August 20) that Natural Resources Wales have said that river pollution is “not acceptable”.

My attempts to identify culprits behind river pollution in the Wye and tributaries reveal that protection of the environment is the responsibility of the Environment Agency, the local planners, Natural England and Natural Resources Wales.

None of these agencies has prosecuted anyone under the 2018 rules for farming. Meanwhile they are blaming each other.

Perhaps it is the fault of the millions of chickens incarcerated in factory farms near rivers?

I may be out of date, but we were only able to eat chicken on high days and holidays, and eggs when chickens were laying.

Farms on TV depict chickens in the yard, and cows, pigs and sheep in fields. It appears that the meat you eat has had a good life.

With the benefit of hindsight, we will find it unbelievable that millions of live animals were crammed inside factories.

The disaster which resulted in the current pandemic can be linked to ill treatment of animals.

It is time to phase out factory farming of animals.

It is time for the agencies responsible to do their job, identify sources of pollution and put a stop to it.

Janette Ward
Tarrington