Our established Catchment Management Programme has been up and running since 2015 and have actively engaged with farmers and landowners to prevent pesticides, soil and fertiliser washing from fields into the rivers and aquifers we take water from.
Our established Catchment Management Programme has been up and running since 2015 and during that time we have actively engaged with farmers and landowners to prevent pesticides, soil and fertiliser washing from fields into the rivers and aquifers we take water from.
Since 2015 we have administered grants and incentives totalling just over £75,000 to help farmers and land managers deliver environmental outcomes in priority drinking water catchments.
In areas of land which have been identified as being at risk of raw water deterioration, our target is to successfully engage with farmers and landowners through uptake of one or more of the following:
- Farm site audit
- Water efficiency and advice package
- Training package (e.g. on pesticide application)
- Pesticide calibration test
- Take up a biodiversity package
- Involvement in crop trials/other trials to improve water quantity or quality
- Payment to use alternative pesticides/products
- Payments of Ecosystem Services
- Capital payments to improve farm infrastructure
- Other engagement measures developed within the planning period and agreed with the Environment Agency.
Although our performance in this new measure will not be fully assessed until 2024/25 with underperformance payments or outperformance rewards, we targeted working with farmers and landowners who manage a total of 5,687 hectares of land during 2022/23.
How have we performed?
Performance in year three has continued to build on the stakeholder engagement and promotional activities delivered in previous years.
Farm holdings that expressed an interest in potential land management changes during the first two years have been prioritised for follow up visits this year with a view to completing works.
Flagship pilot projects have continued to develop this year however there has been a notable slowing of applications from farm holdings, for example under our maize management project.
Feedback suggests this is not due to one reason alone but rather a combination of factors over the past year affecting farm management decisions such as sharp increases in the cost of production, severe and challenging weather patterns, supply chain shortages, market volatility affecting income and a lack of confidence in government funded grant schemes post EU exit.
One notable outcome from the weather conditions and changing climatic conditions seen this year is an upturn in interest around on-farm water efficiency and rainwater harvesting. Farm businesses are keen to enhance their resilience to changing conditions and to take the opportunity to achieve better water efficiency which in turn will help their business’s bottom line.
A draft engagement strategy for 2023-25 has been produced this year along with detailed analysis of farm holding lists for each of the ODI target areas. This work will be used to underpin our approach from April 2023 forward and to prioritise resources towards achieving the target by March 2025.
Overall progress has slowed slightly in year three with the performance figure finishing under the target, however confidence remains high in achieving the figure by the end of the spending period (2025).
You can find out more about our environmental work here.
