The delivery of advice
The England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative (ECSFDI) is a five-year advice and incentives programme sponsored by Defra and delivered in partnership by Natural England and the Environment Agency.
The aims of the ECSFDI are to:
- raise awareness about diffuse water pollution from agriculture (DWPA) and the impacts/requirements on the farming industry of (i) the Water Framework Directive and (ii) delivery of the 2010 PSA targets for SSSIs; and
- encourage early voluntary action by farmers to reduce diffuse pollution.
The ECSFDI has established itself over the past 2 years as a key delivery tool for tackling DWPA through:
- delivery of advice - there are dedicated Catchment Sensitive Farming Officers (CSFOs) in 40 priority catchments across England who facilitate group and one-to-one advice delivered by specialist advice providers.
- a £5m/year Capital Grant Scheme (launched in April 2007) which is available to farmers in the priority catchments. Funding for the scheme is limited, and priority is given to applications within catchment target areas and for capital items which address water pollution issues within the catchment - as set out in a ‘funding priority statement’ for each catchment.
To support CSFOs in the delivery of advice to land managers and their advisers, a framework agreement was established in November 2006 with thirteen specialist advice providers.
The framework agreement encompasses a range of activities for ECSFDI advice provision, including:
- One-to-one farm visits: Whole farm appraisal; soil, nutrient and manure management plans; farm infrastructure audits; advice on slurry handling and storage; soil, manure and slurry sampling and analysis.
- Group events: Adviser/farmer workshops and seminars; farmer meetings; on-farm demonstrations; on farm walks; and clinics (pre-booked and drop-in).
There are now twelve contractors who are preferred suppliers under the framework agreement. The table below details contractors eligible to delivery against each category of activity and catchments.
Region |
Catchments |
Individual advice (1:1 farm visits) |
Group advice events (farm walks, workshops etc) |
Large advice events (conferences) |
Event support |
East of England |
Anglia North catchments |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
Primum |
Primum |
Primum |
|
||
Momenta |
Momenta |
Momenta |
|
||
DJL Agronomics (c/ment 9 only) |
|
|
|
||
Anglia South catchments |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
|
Primum |
Primum |
Primum |
|
||
Momenta |
Momenta |
Momenta |
|
||
Farmacy |
Farmacy |
|
|
||
East Midlands |
East Midlands catchments |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
Momenta |
Momenta |
Momenta |
|
||
Farmacy (c/ments 14 & 39 only) |
Farmacy (c/ments 14 & 39 only) |
|
|
||
DJL Agronomics (c/ment 14 only) |
DJL Agronomics (c/ment 14 only) |
|
|
||
North East |
North East catchments |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
SAC |
|
|
|
||
North West |
North West catchments |
CREA |
CREA |
CREA |
CREA |
Momenta |
Momenta |
Momenta |
|
||
Promar |
Promar |
|
|
||
South East |
South East catchments |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
Momenta |
Momenta |
Momenta |
|
||
Thames catchments |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
|
Momenta |
Momenta |
Momenta |
|
||
Pang, Kennet & Lambourn FWAG |
Pang, Kennet & Lambourn FWAG |
|
|
||
South West |
South West - eastern catchments |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
Momenta |
Momenta |
Momenta |
|
||
Promar |
Promar |
|
|
||
South West – western catchments (13, 16, 18, 22, 27, 38) |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
|
West Devon Business Information Point |
West Devon Business Information Point |
|
West Devon Business Information Point |
||
Momenta |
Momenta |
Momenta |
|
||
Promar |
Promar |
|
|
||
West Midlands |
Severn (3, 7, 23, 28) |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
Momenta |
Momenta |
Momenta |
|
||
Herefordshire FWAG (c/ments 7 & 23 only) |
Herefordshire FWAG (c/ments 7 & 23 only) |
|
Herefordshire FWAG (catchments 7 & 23 only) |
||
Ruralscapes |
|
|
|
||
Yorks & Humber |
Humber (6, 8, 21) |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
Momenta |
Momenta |
Momenta |
|
||
DJL Agronomics (c/ment 6 only) |
DJL Agronomics (c/ment 6 only) |
|
|
||
All England |
|
ADAS |
ADAS |
ADAS |
n/a |
Momenta |
Momenta |
Momenta |
|
||
Promar |
Promar |
|
|
Whole Farm Approach
The Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) Advisory Tool is available to farmers and growers in England through Whole Farm Approach (WFA). CSF went live in September 2007. Please note that to fully access the system you need to be a farmer with a CPH number to login.
What is the Whole Farm Approach?
Whole Farm Approach (WFA) is an online service for farmers and growers in England. It has been developed by Defra in partnership with other government agencies and the agricultural industry.
WFA offers a range of electronic services allowing farmers and growers to:
- Access the most up-to-date farm business advice and guidance
- Register for exemptions from waste licensing requirements.
- Complete agricultural surveys.
- Provide evidence for cross compliance and other regulatory requirements to help to reduce the risk of being selected for inspection.
- Receive timely reminders of events and deadlines (particularly those required by regulation).
- Complete farming practice self assessment modules.
- Reduce multiple requests for the same information from Defra and Government Agencies.
The range of services provided by WFA will benefit farmers and growers by helping to reduce the regulatory burden placed on them, highlighting good practice, and ultimately reducing the risk of inspection.
What is the CSF Advisory Tool?
The CSF Advisory Tool is an interactive advice and guidance tool on Defra’s Whole Farm Approach (WFA). WFA users can choose to go straight to the CSF Advisory tool from the home page without the need to complete a baseline questionnaire first. The CSF Advisory Tool is designed to work on line and does not require a CDRom.
The aim of the Tool is to complement to the work being carried out through the England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative (ECSFDI). It can be of benefit more generally in all catchments, not just those covered by the ECSFDI although in the latter CSF Officers will promote the Tool.
How does it work?
The CSF Advisory Tool is designed as a questionnaire. Farmers are asked a series of questions, specifically tailored to their farming system. These questions will identify areas of the farm and farming practice which have the potential to cause or exacerbate diffuse water pollution.
The questions are divided into sections, for example, livestock management, soil management, crop protection etc. Once a section is completed, targeted advice and guidance is provided.
Guidance is divided into five parts:
- Why recommended – this gives a more in-depth explanation of the risks a practice or area poses to the water environment and why an alternative is recommended.
- Important information – this highlights any rules or regulations which need to be taken into account when implementing a practice.
- Financial assistance – this signposts any source of funding available to help implement the practice.
- Practical tips – this provides practical advice on implementing the practice.
- Additional information – this signposts other related information, including case studies, best practice sheets etc.
What are the benefits to the farmer?
Working their way through the CSF Advisory Tool will raise farmers’ awareness of the potential problem of diffuse water pollution, identify areas of concern on their farm and give free advice and guidance on how best they can reduce the risk of their farming activities causing a problem. The CSF Advisory tool provides a simple, user friendly, way of understanding the impacts of diffuse water pollution and actions farmers can take on their land to reduce them.
At the moment tackling diffuse water pollution is not legally required (with the exception of nitrate pollution in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones). However, this may change in the future. Therefore understanding the problem and ways of resolving it will stand farmers in good stead for the future.
Unlike other questionnaires on the WFA the information farmers input is not ‘submitted’ i.e. the data produced is not available for viewing by the other partners – Environment Agency, Rural Payments Agency etc. If regulation for tackling diffuse water pollution is implemented in the future, it is intended that the CSF Advisory Tool will be adapted and users will be asked to ‘submit’ their data.
If you have any questions or require additional help registering please contact the WFA Helpline on 08459 33 55 77 between 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday or email wholefarmhelp@defra.gsi.gov.uk.
Further information
- Visit Whole Farm Approach at: www.wholefarm.defra.gov.uk
Please note: from November changes will be made to the registration procedure to make the process speedier and easier for new customers. The new features will include a faster turn around time for sending out registration details, a guest account to allow potential users to see what WFA has to offer and a redesigned ‘user friendly’ registration page. Further details to follow closer to the launch date.
Page last modified:
29 May 2008
Page published: 31 October 2006