Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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Water friendly farming initiative targets new catchments

Water friendly farming initiative targets new catchments

DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS News Release (News Release ref:342/08) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 29 October 2008

More areas around the country will benefit from help to tackle harmful water pollution, Environment Minister Jane Kennedy announced today. The England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative aims to help farmers to reduce diffuse water pollution from agricultural land through a range of advice and incentives.

The Initiative will expand its coverage from this month (October) with new target areas, including extensions of existing priority catchments and 10 new priority areas.

Environment Minister Jane Kennedy said:

"Taking care of our waterways through responsible farming practices isn't just good for the natural environment - it is vital for the future of a sustainable, healthy farming industry. By extending the areas covered by this programme, we'll be helping even more farmers and land managers to deal with local problems to improve the health of the entire catchment."


The 10 new priority catchments which have been identified with the help of River Basin Liaison Panels are:

* Arun and Western Rother;

* Kent/Levens;

* Leadon;

* River Beult;

* River Blyth;

* River Esk;

* River Ribble;

* River Stour and Colne;

* Tern and Rodden; and

* Upper River Roding.

The existing priority catchments which are being extended to take in new areas are:

* Peak District Dales extension west to Tittesworth Reservoir & River Churnet;

* Extension of Till & English Tweed & coastal streams area to include Rivers Coquet & Aln;

* Waver & Wampool;

* South Hams;

* Axe & Otter;

* West Cornwall; and

* North Somerset Moors.

Helen Philips, Chief Executive of Natural England said:

"Healthy rivers and streams provide a huge range of benefits for people and wildlife. A healthy water environment relies on reducing pollution - not just on single sites, but across entire catchment areas. Natural England looks forward to the expansion of this Initiative, working with landowners to resolve local pollution problems that can improve water quality across much wider areas."

Paul Leinster, acting Chief Executive of the Environment Agency said: "As part of our work on the Water Framework Directive we have identified where we can use catchment sensitive farming to deliver further benefits and help achieve a better water environment. We see advice and incentives as an important part of the mix of cost-effective measures that will encourage and enable farmers and land managers to deliver good environmental practice."

The Initiative is also putting in place a new strategic partnership programme in two phases which aims to support engagement with t farmers , led and match-funded by national and regional partners including the Voluntary Initiative (pesticides). More information on these national and regional partnerships is available at (http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/environment/water/csf/catchments/associate-projects.htm).

Notes for Editors

1. Defra is providing funding of £12.9 million for the England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative in 08-09 and 09-10, of which £5 million is for capital grants.

2. Engagement with farmers remains the main objective of the Initiative and there will continue to be an extensive programme of farmer events and farm visits. In its first two years (2006-08), the ECSFDI delivered advice to over 6,000 farmers, representing 15 per cent of farm holdings (23 per cent by area) within forty priority catchments. Advice was delivered through more than five hundred group events and over 4,700 one-to-one farm visits. More than 14,000 farm-specific recommendations were made for measures to tackle diffuse pollution. Over 80 per cent of farmers receiving advice from the ECSFDI confirmed their knowledge of water pollution had increased and that they had taken, or were intending to take, action to tackle water pollution.

3. The new catchments and extensions have increased the area covered by the ECSFDI by 25%. Negotiations are still underway as to the exact boundaries and coverage of the Strategic Partnership catchments.

4. Future Water, the Government's new water strategy for England was launched on 7 February 2008. It signalled that Defra would roll out initiatives over a further three years to continue to support farmers on catchment sensitive farming. (http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/water/strategy/index.htm). Defra policy on tackling diffuse water pollution from agriculture includes encouraging water companies to work with farmers.

5. Catchment sensitive farming is a key element of future action on diffuse water pollution from agriculture (which may include a targeted regulatory approach where necessary). Defra has set out its policy in this area in a response following a consultation in 2007. This response can be found at http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/environment/water/csf/pdf/diffuse-consult-govresponse.pdf.

6. The ECSFDI has been in place since April 2006. More information on the ECSFDI, including maps which will be available, can be found on line at http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/environment/water/csf. The ECSFDI has included a Capital Grant Scheme for the past two years. In 07-08 farmers received £4.645 million. The 08-09 scheme, which has now closed, is expected to be even more successful. The 09-10 scheme will open for applications early next year.

7. The ECSFDI is currently negotiating with five national partners to set up strategic partnerships to deliver advice to farmers and land managers: The Voluntary Initiative (VI), The Agricultural and Horticulture Development Board, Professional Nutrient Management Group (including NFU, CLA, FWAG, AIC and LEAF), The Association of Rivers Trusts and Water UK. Discussions are also underway at a local level to identify regional partners for strategic partnership projects in 16 specific catchments, additional to the 50 priority catchments.

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