Partnership project provides anglo-german link-up

The NFU has joined forces with water and agricultural experts from Germany and the UK to help improve groundwater quality.

Six German farmers from Lower Saxony - part of an International Steering Group - met with NFU members and UK partners in Dorchester to discuss their work on reducing possible farming impact on groundwater quality as part of the Water Resources In Cooperation with Agriculture (WAgriCo) project at the end of September.

This EU Life-funded project explores sharing good practice with the farming community and with partners in the UK from Wessex Water Services Ltd, the Environment Agency, ADAS UK Ltd, UK Water Industry Research Ltd and Defra.

NFU water policy adviser Anna Hall said: “The focus of the visit was about sharing information, understanding and knowledge, as well as recognising differences between the two countries.

“It also generated considerable enthusiasm from the farmers to be strongly involved with this project. This project is about using local initiatives to address local issues in co-operation with farmers, taking into consideration the economics behind any measures to help our understanding of what can realistically be achieved.”

Methods of reducing possible water pollution from farming practices, particularly in ground water catchment areas near boreholes used for public water supply, are being trialled as part of the WAgriCo project.

This project focuses on six catchments in the Dorchester area. Each catchment has an allocated adviser from ADAS or Wessex Water who will work to understand the key problems and work with farmers to explore possible solutions.

Monitoring of the scheme is also being undertaken by ADAS and the Environment Agency.