Shropshire farmer fined £16,000 for environmental offences
On 16 April 2018, Telford Magistrates’ Court fined the 55 year-old £16,000 and ordered him to pay £20,000 in costs, along with a £170 victim surcharge. The charges were brought by the Environment Agency under the Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2008 and Sections 24(1) and (4) of the Water Resources Act 1991. The Environment Agency […]
Talks ongoing to avoid irrigation abstraction fee hike
Water level management authorities across the country are continuing to raise significant concerns at the threat of licence fee hikes that could end up hitting the farmer’s pocket, following recent changes to water abstraction regulations. Previously and for many years, Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) have transferred water from main rivers to local drains for the […]
Severn Trent reopens Environmental Grants Scheme for farmers
Farmers in the Midlands are being given another opportunity to apply for a grant from Severn Trent to help them to protect local watercourses from pollution. The ‘Severn Trent Environmental Protection Scheme’ (STEPS), which is solely funded by the water company, supports farmers in making improvements to their farm management and infrastructure, reducing the risk […]
ADA backs internal drainage boards’ local governance of water level management
ADA firmly believes that internal drainage boards continue to provide a robust arrangement for the local governance of water level management in England following the publication of the National Audit Office’s (NAO) report on internal drainage boards. The report focuses on governance and oversight arrangements; processes for raising concerns; and, the potential for conflicts of […]
ADA announces the first tranche of River Maintenance Transfer (De-maining) pilots
After much preparatory work and engagement with Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs), the Environment Agency (EA) and other partners involved, ADA is delighted to announce that Defra have given the green light to a number of pilot projects to propose to “de-main” certain sections of main river across the country. The process involves investigating the passing […]
Flooding strategy must serve both rural and urban areas to succeed
ADA welcomes the publication of the NFU’s Flooding Manifesto as a positive addition to the debate about future management and funding of flood and coastal risk. A robust, long-term plan is required to strategically manage flood risk in England and Wales, and ADA strongly supports more decisions being taken at local level to achieve this. If […]
Farmers set to benefit from new partnership between Yara and Pessl Instruments
Yara International ASA (Yara) and Pessl Instruments are announcing a new partnership to market the Yara Water Solution as part of the Pessl Instruments’ eco-system of smart farming solutions. With increased water scarcity and agriculture consuming 70% of the global freshwater resources, demand is surging for new agricultural solutions. The new partnership will offer improved […]
Protecting water and promoting farmland biodiversity high on the agenda on MP visit to Research Farm
Angela Smith, Member of Parliament for Penistone and Stocksbridge, visited Bayer CropScience’s research farm near Cambridge this week to discuss the key topics of protecting water courses and promoting farmland biodiversity. Ms Smith MP, who is the Shadow Water, Fisheries and Animal Welfare Minister met with Alice Johnston and Dr Julian Little from Bayer CropScience, […]
Dairy industry makes significant strides in water efficiency
UK dairy companies are at the forefront of the food and drink industry’s efforts to improve water efficiency, according to a progress report published today. The Food and Drink Manufacturing Water Use Report demonstrates that there have been marked gains in water efficiency across the industry. Dairy companies featured in the report have reduced their […]
