Catchment Sensitive Farming

Catchment Sensitive Farming
Name	Catchment Sensitive Farming
Formation	2006
Purpose	Agri-environmental advisory programme
Region	England
Parent organisation	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Catchment Sensitive Farming is an English advisory programme that provides targeted agri-environment schemes support and guidance to reduce diffuse pollution from agriculture in river catchments and coastal waters. It partners with national bodies such as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, regional agencies such as the Environment Agency, and conservation organisations like the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to align Countryside Stewardship priorities with local water quality objectives. The programme operates across multiple catchments, cooperating with stakeholders including the National Farmers' Union (NFU), the Country Land and Business Association, and local authorities to deliver practical measures and grant-funded capital items.

Overview

Catchment Sensitive Farming began as a response to national concerns following reports by the Environment Agency and advisory findings from bodies such as the Committee on Climate Change and reviews linked to the Water Framework Directive. It sits alongside longstanding instruments like Entry Level Stewardship, Higher Level Stewardship, and later iterations under Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship. The programme coordinates with statutory frameworks including the Water Act 2003 and interacts with regulatory regimes overseen by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and the Rural Payments Agency.

Objectives and Activities

The primary objective is to reduce sediment, nitrate, and phosphate losses from arable and livestock systems to comply with targets framed by the European Union's Water Framework Directive and successor domestic legislation. Activities include delivery of nutrient management plans developed in liaison with advisors from organisations such as the Royal Agricultural University, installation of infrastructure promoted by the Soil Association and the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, and promotion of best practice from evidence produced by research centres including the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and the James Hutton Institute. Outreach and training are delivered in collaboration with agricultural colleges like Wye College and non-governmental organisations including Wildlife Trusts‎ and the National Farmers Union Mutual.

Funding and Governance

Funding mechanisms have included grants from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, contributions via the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, and matched funding through bodies such as the Environment Agency and local unitary authority partnerships. Governance arrangements involve multi-stakeholder steering groups with representatives from the National Trust, Natural England, and regional Local Nature Partnerships, and strategic alignment with the UK Government's agricultural policy instruments overseen by ministers and civil servants connected to the DEFRA portfolio. Financial delivery has been coordinated with institutions such as the Rural Development Programme and procurement frameworks managed by the Crown Commercial Service.

Implementation and Advisory Services

Implementation relies on farm-level advisers accredited through schemes with ties to the Institute of Agricultural Consultants and professional bodies including the Royal Society of Biology and Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management. Advisory services provide bespoke plans referencing guidance from the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board and scientific outputs from the Food and Environment Research Agency and University of Reading. Practical measures promoted include constructed wetlands inspired by work at Rutland Water, buffer strips modelled on projects by the Game Conservancy Trust, and soil conservation techniques trialled in studies by the Rothamsted Research and Cranfield University.

Environmental and Agricultural Impacts

Reported outcomes attribute reductions in diffuse pollution in pilot catchments monitored by the Environment Agency and evaluated by academic partners such as University of Exeter and University of East Anglia. Benefits cited include improved watercourses used by protected species documented by the RSPB and habitat gains aligned with targets set under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Agricultural co-benefits reported by NFU members and researchers at Harper Adams University include improved soil structure, reduced input costs, and resilience to extreme weather events analysed by the Met Office and Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Evidence

Monitoring frameworks draw on methods from the Environment Agency, modelling approaches developed at CEH and Rothamsted Research, and evaluation protocols aligned with guidance from the National Audit Office and reports submitted to ministers in DEFRA. Peer-reviewed evidence has been produced in journals associated with authors from University of Aberdeen, University of Cambridge, and Imperial College London assessing sediment flux, nutrient budgeting, and greenhouse gas trade-offs. Data sharing and transparency are facilitated through partnerships with the Centre for Environmental Data Analysis and regional datasets coordinated by Local Enterprise Partnerships.

Case Studies and Regional Programmes

Case studies span catchments such as the Humber Estuary, the Trent catchment, and the Severn Estuary, with regional programmes implemented in coordination with authorities like the Yorkshire Water and Severn Trent Water companies. Demonstration projects include collaborative work with the National Trust at estate farms, trials funded by Innovate UK partners, and community-led interventions supported by Natural England and Environment Agency teams. Internationally comparable programmes referenced in evaluations include projects in the Netherlands, Denmark, and New Zealand managed by institutions such as the Wageningen University and the Ministry for Primary Industries (New Zealand).

Category:Agricultural environmental programmes