Rebecca Pow, Environment Minister, shared her concerns about the river Wye’s pollution during a visit at a Herefordshire farm bordering it.
As water minister, improving water-quality is a priority for us, she stated at Tump Farm, near Fownhope.
We are increasing farm inspections but enforcement is not the only goal. We will pay farmers to deliver the public goods, which includes healthy soils that retain water better.
Concerning the Herefordshire Councils’ call for the Government last week to establish a Water Protection Zone covering the whole River, we would need to gather a lot of data, evidence, and it would be an additional tier of regulation, she said.
It’s a complicated issue. That’s why I came today to get some real-world insight.
Coun David Hitchiner, Leader of Herefordshire Council, said: The minister seems like he understands the issues. I am hopeful that we will now witness some positive action.
He added that there doesn’t seem to be an easy way out of the housing moratorium, which is holding up 2,000 new houses in the north.
New developments are required to demonstrate that environmental regulations will not increase river pollution.
He said that the council is now about to exchange contracts and begin its programme to create pollution-mitigating wetlands. It will then take three months for them to grant new housing permits.
Tump Farm is situated at the border of Sir Bill Wiggin’s North Herefordshire constituency.
I am happy the minister is present it shows how important Wye to the Government, said he, and agreed that we must get builders back in the county.
I do my best on my own farm near Upton Bishop. No fertilisers or prophylactic antibiotics are given to our pasture-fed cows, he said.
Farmers should strive to do the best possible thing, not the easiest.
John Leyland, Environment Agency (EA), national chief of staff, stated that we get better results by providing advice and guidance to farmers than enforcers. While most are willing to work alongside us, we do pursue those who need to.
Clare Dinnis, area director of the EA, stated that 150 inspections will be conducted in the Wye area over the next eight week period. This is more than was done in the entire West Midlands area last year.
She said that technology like drones and satellites can also be used to detect pollution sources.
There are also lower-tech solutions that can be applied to farms. These include removing manure piles and introducing buffer strips between farmed ground and watercourses. Also, maintaining cover crops like Tump Farm, which was once a dairy farm but is now mostly arable.
Martin Williams, the farmer, said that it was difficult to maintain an economic and ecological balance.
He stated that while the Government plans to pay farmers in the future for public goods such as river protection, it is probably the right thing. However, it would be very difficult to create interest in a scheme that is underfunded.
