Environmental inspectors are to receive more funding to tackle pollution from farms that is driving a decline in water quality.
Defra has announced that farm inspections by the Environment Agency will increase by around 50% over the course of this Parliament as part of plans to clean up the UK’s rivers, lakes and seas.
Agricultural pollution is currently the leading cause of poor water quality in England, affecting 45% of water bodies. Pollution of the River Wye, for example, has been linked with an overloading of phosphorus associated with the operations of intensive chicken production facilities within the catchment, causing algal blooms and the disappearance of local species.
It is the job of inspectors to visit farms to check compliance with environmental law. Where there is evidence that rules are being broken, farmers are told what to fix and given a deadline in writing as part of the enforcement process.
Fears have been raised that cuts to the Environment Agency’s budget during the period when the Conservative government was in office have weakened enforcement of environmental rules. A 2022 analysis by public sector trade union Prospect found that funding for environmental protection services provided by the agency had been cut by 50% over the past decade.
Defra said the expected number of inspections is set to reach 6,000 a year by 2029, up from 4,545 recorded in 2024/25.
Inspections will be prioritised at farms that present the highest risk to water quality, particularly in areas where rivers or groundwater have already been affected by agricultural activity, or where large volumes of slurry and waste are handled, such as dairy farms in protected catchments.
Inspectors will also be tasked with offering more guidance to farmers, strengthening links with supply chains and farm networks, and making better use of technology like remote sensing.
“Farmers are key partners in protecting our rivers, lakes, and seas – and through our Plan for Change we’re backing them to do just that,” said Defra secretary of state Steve Reed.
“By doubling funding for inspections, we’re ensuring that farmers receive better advice to help them reduce pollution and clean up our water ways for good.”
