First soil action plan foor England

Plans for how government will work with farmers, planners, builders and others to protect and improve England's soils are published today.

The First Soil Action Plan for England sets out a three-year programme designed to ensure that soil will be used and looked after in ways that get the best out of a vital natural resource.

The Plan's aims include:

* soil should be looked after with a view both to short-term needs and the interests of future generations;

* regulation, legislation and policy will provide appropriate protection of soil as an irreplaceable natural resource and empower and encourage people to manage it properly;

* a better understanding of, and access to, information on the state of our soils and the physical, chemical and biological processes which operate on and within them.

The Plan includes a planned programme to boost education and awareness of soil issues, new guidance to protect soils throughout the planning process and work to develop and provide better access to information on soils.

Defra's range of environmental standards for farmers claiming CAP payments will include requirements to reduce erosion and maintain soil structure. There are also proposed measures to protect soils under the new Environmental Stewardship Scheme.

Also published today was an Environment Agency consultation on soil, the first step towards developing a strategy for protecting soils which will feed into the Action Plan.

Defra Minister Lord Whitty said:

"Soil is one of the essentials of life. It supports food production, the buildings that we live and work in, and helps shape our landscape

- yet we are in danger of taking it for granted. We need to make sure that doesn't happen.

"Farmers in particular have an important role to play in protecting soils. In recognition of this, we have proposed a range of measures to ensure that soil protection is at the heart of everything farmers do.

"I hope that the action plan will encourage farmers, developers and planners to play their part in protecting soil."

Barbara Young, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency said:

"Healthy soils are a vital component of a sustainable environment. For too long now we have been working, building, consuming and farming without understanding what impact our actions are having on our soils.

"Through our soil strategy we aim to improve soil protection, management and restoration, by promoting the importance of soil, by encouraging good practice amongst groups whose work impacts upon soil, and developing a better understanding of its role in protecting the environment."

Defra will report on progress in November 2004, with further reports annually.

The Soil Action Plan can be viewed at http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/landliability/soil/actionplan.htm

The Environment Agency consultation Soil, The Hidden Resource can be viewed at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/soilconsultation