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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