National
press office - 24-Oct-2008 - Meeting the
challenges of climate change will help farmers
save money as well as protect people and
the environment, according to the Environment
Agency.
Unveiling the new-look
Best Farming Practices - a revised practical
guide bursting with more than 250 tips to
help farmers profit by protecting the environment
- the Environment Agency’s Director of Environment
Protection, Tricia Henton, said: "In
England alone more than 1.3 million hectares
of farmland lies in the floodplain and the
sort of devastating floods we saw last summer
can hit farmers hard. Soil nutrient and
pesticide losses from run off not only damage
the environment but also cost farmers more
than £50 million a year.
"But as climate
change takes hold, and our weather becomes
increasingly volatile, farmers face the
prospect of more frequent and severe flooding,
less water in summer to irrigate crops,
more pests surviving the winter and more
heat stress in stock.
"Help, however,
is at hand. Best Farming Practices explores
how farmers can protect against - and even
benefit from - climate change. It shows
how good management of crops and soils can
guard against chemicals and sediment from
farmland polluting our groundwater, rivers
and streams as well as how to protect against
costly losses of topsoils, seeds, fertiliser
and pesticides.
"All these are
steps that recent research suggests could
reduce a farmer’s annual variable costs
by up to 30 per cent, as well as cut pesticide
use by between 30-70 per cent and nitrogen
use by between a 16-25 per cent.
Overall, the easy-to-read
guide covers 13 topic areas, including how
to use water wisely and make best use of
what is becoming a scarce resource in some
parts of the country. Another section explores
how to combat the increased risk of flooding.
A third examines how you can save energy
and reduce waste - an imperative as the
prices of fuel and electricity escalate
and society struggles to cut greenhouse
gas emissions.
As well as offering
help with how to apply for Grant Aid, the
second edition of Best Farming Practices
also includes 15 illustrated case studies
that demonstrate how farmers can reap financial
and environmental benefits from a wide range
of simple, inexpensive actions.
Philip Chamberlain,
an arable farmer on a LEAF (Linking Environment
and Farming) demonstration farm in Oxfordshire,
describes how his crops benefit from regular
applications of sewage sludge, pig manure
and composted green waste - a move which
has helped to minimise pollution, improve
wildlife habitats and save £60,000
in fertiliser costs.
Kent salad grower Thane
Goodrich shares how he has cut crop-establishment
costs by over 30 per cent by tackling wind
erosion and nutrient leaching via a combination
of minimum-tillage cultivation, grass strips
around headlands and a cover crop of winter
barley.
The experience of Robert
and Sarah Helliwell - beef, sheep and poultry
farmers with a National Trust tenancy in
the Peak District - underlines the benefit
of fencing streams and cloughs to prevent
livestock access. The fences on their farm
help to protect against bank erosion and
maintain water quality. But they also prevent
stock losses and reduce the vet bills associated
with lameness - enough to recover the cost
of fencing within four years.
Tricia Henton added:
"We’d much rather help farmers to profit
from a good environment than see them penalised
for bad practice which is why we have revised,
expanded and republished Best Farming Practices.
"Whether it’s dairy,
arable, horticultural or livestock production,
we recognise the tough business environment
that farmers are operating in but Best Farming
Practices is full of down-to-earth advice
which we hope will provide food for thought
and inspiration for action."
Best Farming Practices
is available free to farmers, growers, land
managers and farm business advisers. You
can download it from www.environment-agency.gov.uk/bestfarmingpractices
. You can also order your own copy by telephoning
08708 506506, please reference code BFP004.
+ More
Environment Agency appoints
new Chief Executive
National press office
- 27-Oct-2008 - The Environment Agency today
announced the appointment of Dr Paul Leinster
CBE as its new Chief Executive. He will
take up the post from 1 November.
Dr Leinster joined the
Environment Agency in 1998 and has been
acting Chief Executive since May 2008. He
had previously held the roles of Director
of Environmental Protection and Director
of Operations. He has over 30 years’ experience
working in the health and safety environmental
field, in both the public and private sectors.
Announcing the appointment,
Environment Agency Chairman, Lord Chris
Smith, said:
"I’m thrilled that
Paul and I will be working together to ensure
that the Environment Agency continues to
work successfully for people and the environment.
We face a defining moment in our history
and our actions now will determine the environmental
impact of climate change for future generations.
"Now is the time
for bold decisions to protect our land,
air and water. Throughout his time at the
Environment Agency, Paul Leinster has consistently
shown himself to have the skills and experience
needed to ensure the Environment Agency
can meet the challenges we face and create
a better place."
Commenting on his appointment,
Dr Leinster said:
"I am delighted
to be leading the Environment Agency at
such an important time. We have achieved
much for people and the environment in the
last decade and are well placed to face
the challenges of the future. We will ensure
that we maintain the focus of business and
the public on environmental protection and
climate change, even in a difficult financial
climate, and provide a more effective, efficient
service through better regulation.
"Expectation levels
about the environment are higher than ever
before. We have many big challenges to address
including flooding, pollution, water quality
and resources, waste and climate change
and will use our expertise, experience and
influence to deliver the necessary changes.
And we will continue to do so by cutting
bureaucracy and maximising the environmental
improvements for every pound we spend."
Hi-res image download
(jpeg, 2mb) (Right-Click, and then 'Select
Save target as...')
