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18/11/2011 13:40:33
Access to water vital for food production, says the NFU
Continued access to abstracted water remains vital for boosting food production while minimising the impact to the environment, the NFU said today following the publication of its water survey results for 2011, which shows just how important water is to all farm businesses.
Hundreds of farmers and growers throughout the UK have explained how they are using water resources responsibly, what steps they are taking to conserve water and how they will tackle challenges in the future. This includes using run off from greenhouse roofs, increasing capacity of reservoirs and plans to improve water efficiency in coming years.
Farmers and growers are making all these efforts despite the fact that only one per cent of the total amount of water abstracted is used by the agricultural sector in England and Wales.
NFU water policy adviser Jenny Bashford warned that October 2010 to September 2011 was the driest 12 months on record for many areas in Britain, reflected in Anglian Water’s announcement this week it had applied for a winter drought permit. Miss Bashford added that if the autumn and winter saw below average rainfall then the effect on agriculture could be significant next year and with Government set to publish its White Paper on water next month, the results of the survey could not be more timely.
NFU Vice President Gwyn Jones said: "There is no doubt that agriculture faces an enormous challenge when it comes to water use, as evidenced by some of the drought conditions earlier this year.
"The survey results show that the majority of farmers are taking action to increase their water efficiency.
"However, while the results make fascinating reading, it is a timely reminder that everyone must take the issue of water seriously. With Government set to announce proposals for a new long term abstraction framework in its Water White Paper as well as changes to the way Ofwat sets water company prices, the NFU will be looking for a number of measures to be addressed to tackle the very real challenges going forward."
The NFU continues to promote water efficiency among its members and, in addition, would like to see:
1. Support by Government and its agencies for the use of voluntary abstraction restrictions and abstraction management in catchments and times of low water availability as an option enforced by farmer abstractor groups themselves;
2. A transparent, consistent but flexible delivery approach by the Environment Agency in relation to the regulation of abstraction licences;
3. A restoration of the threshold for the ’large’ category of reservoir to be defined as 25,000m3 to encourage the building of more on farm storage reservoirs;
4. More research and development into drought tolerant plant varieties and on-farm demonstrations of new, more efficient irrigation technologies;
5. Investment incentives, such as appropriate exemptions, tax incentives and grants to encourage the use of water efficient irrigation technology such as drip and computerised irrigation systems etc;
6. Water companies have, and abide by, a Code of Practice, when drawing up drought orders.
Hundreds of farmers and growers throughout the UK have explained how they are using water resources responsibly, what steps they are taking to conserve water and how they will tackle challenges in the future. This includes using run off from greenhouse roofs, increasing capacity of reservoirs and plans to improve water efficiency in coming years.
Farmers and growers are making all these efforts despite the fact that only one per cent of the total amount of water abstracted is used by the agricultural sector in England and Wales.
NFU water policy adviser Jenny Bashford warned that October 2010 to September 2011 was the driest 12 months on record for many areas in Britain, reflected in Anglian Water’s announcement this week it had applied for a winter drought permit. Miss Bashford added that if the autumn and winter saw below average rainfall then the effect on agriculture could be significant next year and with Government set to publish its White Paper on water next month, the results of the survey could not be more timely.
NFU Vice President Gwyn Jones said: "There is no doubt that agriculture faces an enormous challenge when it comes to water use, as evidenced by some of the drought conditions earlier this year.
"The survey results show that the majority of farmers are taking action to increase their water efficiency.
"However, while the results make fascinating reading, it is a timely reminder that everyone must take the issue of water seriously. With Government set to announce proposals for a new long term abstraction framework in its Water White Paper as well as changes to the way Ofwat sets water company prices, the NFU will be looking for a number of measures to be addressed to tackle the very real challenges going forward."
The NFU continues to promote water efficiency among its members and, in addition, would like to see:
1. Support by Government and its agencies for the use of voluntary abstraction restrictions and abstraction management in catchments and times of low water availability as an option enforced by farmer abstractor groups themselves;
2. A transparent, consistent but flexible delivery approach by the Environment Agency in relation to the regulation of abstraction licences;
3. A restoration of the threshold for the ’large’ category of reservoir to be defined as 25,000m3 to encourage the building of more on farm storage reservoirs;
4. More research and development into drought tolerant plant varieties and on-farm demonstrations of new, more efficient irrigation technologies;
5. Investment incentives, such as appropriate exemptions, tax incentives and grants to encourage the use of water efficient irrigation technology such as drip and computerised irrigation systems etc;
6. Water companies have, and abide by, a Code of Practice, when drawing up drought orders.
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