Catchment Sensitive Farming - Another Step Closer To Cleaner Water?

Defra's initiative to tackle water pollution has been

extended for three years. The programme has also been enhanced

to better meet its objectives.

As part of its effort to implement the Water Framework

Directive, Defra has announced the next stage of its programme

to tackle water pollution.

The England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative

(ECSFDI), which was launched in April 2006, is now set to

continue for a further three years. The main objective remains

the same: Natural England and the Environment Agency will

continue to provide advice through farmer events and farm

visits. Other elements of the next phase include the

following:

A further 10 priority catchments will be added to the

original 40 this autumn. The existing 40 cover approximately

40% of English agricultural area and affect as many as 50,000

farmers.

An additional 5 Catchment Sensitive Farming officers will

join the existing 42 in the autumn.

A capital grant scheme in 2008/09, similar to the 2007/08

scheme, will provide grants for capital investment in

low-cost infrastructure to tackle pollution. The application

period closed on 30 June 2008.

Nine regional co-ordinators will be responsible for

enhancing delivery of the programme and linking the

initiative with River Basin Planning and other regional

schemes.

A new strategic programme involving national and regional

partners outside the priority catchments will be implemented

in the autumn.

The agreement for technical support from the Pesticides

Voluntary Initiative will be extended.

Defra will provide the ECSFDI with £12.9m...