These include the development and implementation of nutrient management plans, reducing soil erosion, riparian management including fencing to exclude livestock, infrastructure improvements, raising farmer awareness of policy and legislation, for example, the Farming Rules for Water and support to farmers to identify grants to fund improvements. Such work yields not only environmental improvements to soil, air and water but is also good for the farm business, helping to embed a more resource efficient approach.
The intermediary role CaBA Partnerships provide between Water Companies and the farming community has also helped to broker innovative covenants to implement long-term changes in land management, for example, to reduce pollution of drinking water sources.
Partnerships are also increasingly working with businesses to address impacts upon the water environment arising from their supply chains.
Much of the work of the Catchment Partnerships with respect to agriculture is underpinned by data and evidence, including the use of predictive tools such as Scimap and Farmscoper to assess the risk of diffuse pollution and identify cost-effective solutions.