To celebrate this year’s World Water Day, Tried and Tested are raising awareness of the value and importance of maintaining healthy water systems and how this can be achieved through effective farming practices.
Water is an essential natural resource to required for productive and sustainable farming. By following good farming practices farmers and landowners can protect their watercourses and in return receive a host of benefits from their healthy water systems as well as ensuring compliance with Farming Rules for Water.
On 2nd April 2018, the Farming Rules for Water (otherwise know as the Reduction and Prevention of Agricultural Diffuse Pollution (England) Regulations 2018) came into force. The rules aim to support farmers and land managers to reduce water pollution from on-farm practices.
There are 8 rules which aim to:
- Promote good practice in managing fertilisers and manures
- Encourage land managers to take reasonable precautions to prevent diffuse pollution from runoff or soil erosion
- Require soil tests at least every 5 years
For more information Tried and Tested have dedicated Farming Rules for Water hub – to visit the hub click here
In the UK, there are already a large number of farmers and growers who are taking practical steps to reduce water pollution on their farms by; managing manure, fertiliser and soil to prevent runoff, erosion and leaching.
Top tips diffuse water pollution:
- Managing your nutrients using a Nutrient Management Plan
- Efficiently storing and managing organic manures to reduce pollution
- Ensure you are effectively applying fertilisers and manures at the right time in the right place to reduce risk of pollution
- Taking reasonable precautions to prevent soil erosion
For more information on on best practice visit Tried and Tested partners, CFE’s water management pages
or
Visit our tools page for a range of free resources which support best practice.