An NFU East event at Park Farm, Thorney, highlighted some of the challenges ahead, from abstraction licence reform to the need to build resilience against more frequent extreme weather events.
Speakers also outlined some of the work underway to help farmers and growers adapt, including increased irrigation efficiency, improved water storage and collaborative projects within catchments.
Environment Agency Senior Advisor (Abstractor Management) Bob Hiller said there were around 5,000 abstraction licences nationally contributing to environmental damage and a different approach was needed.
From 1 January 2028, licences deemed to be damaging to the environment can be revoked or varied without compensation.
Seeking local solutions
Mr Hiller explained that the agency would be carrying out a rolling programme of reviews in each catchment, based on the based on the common end dates for time limited licences, which should be completed by 2035.
He said it was vital that licence holders did not ignore any letters they received and responded within the stated timescale.
The EA will also be producing a new National Framework for Water Resources, laying out how to meet England’s long term water requirements.
“We want abstractor groups to support identification of local solutions to improve water supply and environmental resilience,” he said, adding that funding would be available for some local schemes.
Harriet Robson of Envireau Water set out what licence holders needed to consider when their licence was up for review and urged them to be ‘reasonable and realistic’ when assessing future irrigation needs.
If their historic water use was well below the level permitted in the licence, they would need to build a business case to justify its continuation, explaining why abstraction levels had been low and why they would increase. Future cropping plans would form an important part of this.
Call for better training
Anthony Hopkins of WrootWater discussed the pros and cons of different irrigation systems and said the human factor was key.
“There’s not one irrigation system that’s more efficient, it comes down to how you use it. There needs to be more practical education about how to use water more efficiently,” he said.
During the afternoon session, delegates heard from Andrey Ivanov of Wilkin & Sons at Tiptree, who outlined how the fruit growing business had radically improved its water efficiency and water resilience in recent years.
This includes introducing a new growing system in closed glasshouses, that were 90% self sufficient in water. The farm has also built two new reservoirs and installed a new irrigation system.
Finally, Sam Hughes of South East Rivers Trust outlined the Holistic Water for Horticulture initiative, which works with fresh produce growers on water stewardship.
It’s part of a wider project that aims to ensure half of the UK’s fresh food is sourced from areas with sustainable water management by 2030.
Working together is key
NFU National Water Resources Specialist Mark Betson chaired the conference.
He said: “There are so many issues affecting the industry currently, including the phasing out of BPS and the Government’s inheritance tax plans, but this event was a timely reminder that water needs to be on the priority list as well.
“A common theme during the day was the importance of working together to ensure we obtain a fair share of water for agriculture, while protecting the environment and helping to meet the Government’s growth agenda.”