Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Paragraph: 106
Intensive livestock and poultry farming appears to be putting enormous pressure on particular catchments, such...
Conclusion
Intensive livestock and poultry farming appears to be putting enormous pressure on particular catchments, such as those feeding the river Wye running through Wales and the south-west Midlands. The number of chickens being reared there appears Water quality in rivers 121 to have increased significantly, and pollution from their waste appears to be finding its way into river waters. The potential impact of intensive agricultural practices on river water quality must be fully acknowledged and the risks mitigated. One means of doing this is through farming which is as sensitive as possible to its effect on water quality in catchments.
Paragraph Reference:
106
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Government is committed, in the Agricultural Transition Plan, to make funding available for farmers to improve their slurry infrastructure (including storage and covers) from autumn 2022. We are currently co-designing the grant offer with farmers, experts, sector representatives, and regulators and will be publishing details of the offer shortly. The slurry infrastructure grants will be offered under the Farming Investment Fund’s Farming Transformation Fund. Through the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (the small grants scheme of the Farming Investment Fund), we are currently offering funding for separation, scraping and precision-spreading techniques, enabling farmers to start making upgrades and improvements to their slurry systems.