How we’re working with farmers to create climate resilient places and clean up our rivers

Our Chair, Alan Lovell, has been at the annual NFU Conference, speaking with farmers about how we can work together to create climate resilient places and cleaner and healthier rivers.

In this article, he shares his reflections on the work of the Environment Agency and how we’re supporting farmers and rural communities in the face of a changing climate.

I am not a farmer, but farming is in the blood; my father was a dairy farmer and all my grandparents and great-grandparents were farmers on the Hampshire/Wiltshire border. I get farming and flooding.

The Environment Agency has wide responsibilities: we regulate waste and industrial emissions; we have a broad role on climate change, and we administer some key levers like the emissions trading scheme.

But above all, our focus is on water which, of course, affects the farming community.

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Impact of a changing climate on farmers

I am also well aware that farmers are on the front line as regards climate change. 2023 was an alarming year for the planet with record land temperatures, water temperatures and melting of Antarctic ice. The 1.5% level of increased temperature since pre-industrial times was passed for the first time. And, as we all know, increases in temperature have a disproportionate effect on humidity.

That’s relevant to us because our focus is above all on water – flood, drought, and pollution – and all three of those are also highly relevant for you.

Let’s start with flood:

I know that many farmers have experienced devastating flood and drought events, and I know that this can take a huge financial and emotional toll on their families and livelihoods, including some devastating long-term mental health impacts

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This winter’s storms

This winter’s storms have been particularly severe. The three months to December 2023 were the third wettest for England since records began in 1871 and the wettest since 2000.

I am proud of how our teams in the EA dealt with these crises. Sadly over 6,500 homes were flooded in the three storms, but the ratio of homes protected to those flooded in all three storms was about 40:1. We do not shout out about that too much but we are proud of it.

I would like to pay tribute to the NFU who worked closely with us to help warn and inform farmers during these recent storm events; and to farmers for the support they provided for their local communities in times of flooding.

We want to help you to adapt, improve resilience, and thrive despite the greater climate challenges that are coming.

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Protecting farmland and rural areas

Protecting farmland is a priority outcome for our ￡5.2 billion flood and coastal investment programme.

We know that there is a perception that the vast majority of our investment in flood defences goes to protect urban populations. But that does not mean we do not protect rural communities. Approximately 40% of the Environment Agency’s schemes, and approximately 45% of our investment, better protects rural communities.???

Demaining

Broadly speaking, we the Environment Agency have powers to maintain main rivers.

Demaining is the process used to change the classification of a main river to an ordinary watercourse. We know that many farmers would like us to demain more rivers and give Internal Drainage Boards and other local groups more powers.

In addition to demaining, there are other mechanisms which enable us to work across risk management authorities and with riparian owners to deliver appropriate maintenance.

Public Sector Cooperation Agreements are an example of maintenance through co-operation. We use them for a wide variety of work including routine maintenance; small improvement works; incident response. We currently have 40 of these in place.

Using land for flood storage

In some locations we know that the best flood management solution is to store water on farmland.

We know that farmers feel that this flood storage is often provided at great cost, and that you want to be paid fairly, with agreements put in place to enable them to plan for flooding and recovery. We will support that where flood storage areas are seen to be appropriate as part of a flood risk management solution.

I also welcome the recent announcements on the new and emerging Environmental Land Management Schemes, which include a wide range of actions to support increased flood resilience.

Farming - adaptation and resilience to flood risk

In the years ahead, a priority for us is to work with farmers and land managers to support them in adapting their land management practices to help them become more resilient to the changing climate. This includes?using land and nature-based solutions to slow the flow of water across land or store flood waters.? And we need to do this hand in hand with safeguarding our British farming heritage and food production.

Flood & Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme

We need to drive innovation in flood and coastal resilience and climate adaptation. And that’s why we’re investing ￡150 million in the Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme to develop, test and implement practical and innovative resilience actions in 25 local areas.

Water resource planning for agriculture

The Environment Agency is updating its National Framework for water resources - ensuring that there is a stronger role for agriculture and other sectors in the long-term planning of water resources for England.

We recognise the important role that water abstractor groups can play in identifying and implementing local solutions, and we want to establish more of them, helping abstractors to work together.

Ambitions for soil recovery

The Environment Improvement Plan is ambitious in challenging us to have 40% of agricultural soil into sustainable management by 2028 and 60% by 2030.

I am delighted that the Defra soil team is seeking to simplify the categories of soil and provide a consistent framework for data collection. We are working with them, soil partners, representatives from the farming sector, supermarkets, food brands and assurance schemes to consider a unified approach to soil measurement.

It’s our role to be a good steward of the environment, and also a good steward in the interests of the good reputation of the industry as a whole.

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We stand beside you in recognition of the challenges, of farmers, both financial and environmental, and seek to work with them on the twin priorities of food production and environmental well-being. We help where we can with advice, investment and innovation programmes.

EA’s principal focus is on water: enabling climate resilient places and creating cleaner and healthier rivers. Farmers are our most important partners in that endeavour. We really appreciate all the good work that they do and we look forward to working with them to do more.