More effort needed to protect water quality

While the farming industry has come a long way in cleaning up its act and keeping pesticides out of water, there is still room for improvement. This is the overall theme of the latest H2OK? Catchment newsletter.

The need for improvement is particularly important when set in the context of impending European pesticide legislation. Prof Bob Breach, who chairs the Voluntary Initiative’s Water sub-group, highlights how challenges such as the Water Framework Directive are now imminent and the legislative framework will have "a lot of regulatory clout".

An Agricultural Industries Confederation survey shows that farmers have made considerable progress in addressing water protection. Many farmers now understand what is required when it comes to disposal of containers, foil caps and washings, although there is a need to address some issues such as appropriate surfaces on which to fill and wash sprayers.

Now the VI, Catchment Sensitive Farming and the H2OK? Campaign are bringing together more guidance to help farmers literally clean up their act on pesticide use. This includes: a paper-based self-assessment exercise called ’Check it out’; new Water Protection Advice Sheets for the herbicide bentazone; guidance on establishing grass buffers; free advice on topics such as biobeds and much more besides.

Nevertheless, some questions clearly remain. Therefore, research is continuing on topics such as how to tackle run-off losses from tramlines and ways to control losses through drain flow.

The Catchment newsletter is available from crop protection distributors who are members of AIC and Catchment Sensitive Farming Officers around the country.

"Farmers and advisers can be rightly proud of the progress they have made under the various voluntary options over the past decade," said VI Manager Patrick Goldsworthy. "However, the fact remains that pesticides can and do continue to reach water courses. To avoid the heavy hand of regulators, farmers need to understand how to protect water and get advice from the VI and other initiatives such as Catchment Sensitive Farming, Pelletwise and the Campaign for the Farmed Environment, to improve practices still further."