NFU hits back as legal battle looms on water pollution claims

The NFU has hit back at campaign groups that are taking legal action against the government to force it to introduce tougher laws on farm pollution. 

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF-UK), Fish Legal and the Angling Trust have blamed poor land management for allowing soil run-off to wash into waterways.

See also: Wet August puts damper on harvest effort

They alleged that Defra had failed in its duty to tackle the problem and have been granted permission by the High Court to pursue a challenge for a judicial review to protect areas from further damage.

The case focuses on designated areas known as Natura 2000 sites on certain rivers, estuaries and lakes where pollution has had an effect.

New regulations requested include creating water protection zones. The idea was first floated in 2009 by the Environment Agency if a raft of voluntary measures introduced at the time proved to be successful.

But NFU water quality adviser Rob Howells has hit back at the calls and allegations, saying  the farm industry had made “significant improvements in protecting water”.

Mr Howells said: “Long-term trends show 35% less nitrogen fertiliser and 60% less phosphate fertiliser are being applied now compared with peak levels in the 1980s.

“Farmers are also protecting water through voluntary actions such as those promoted by the Campaign for the Farmed Environment, with 400,000ha of measures costing farmers £60m in 2013-14.”

He added that the union believed diffuse pollution could be tackled through a supportive advisory approach that helped farmers place the right management in the right location.

“We will continue to work with Defra, the Environment Agency and other catchment partners to help make improvements in our water quality,” Mr Howells said.

Defra also refuted the claims, saying the state of English rivers was the “healthiest” for 20 years.

Learn more about water protection in our online Academy: Water protection: Run-off from farm tracks