<p>Farming is a significant source of environmental pollution to water. The Government has long term strategies in place to address this. Leaving the EU provides the opportunity to change the way in which we support farmers to enhance the environment. The new Environmental Land Management system, underpinned by natural capital principles, will deliver many of the key outcomes set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan, including clean and plentiful water. River Basin Management Plans and the Environment Agency’s monitoring give a comprehensive assessment of water and ecological quality and the impact of agriculture.</p><p> </p><p>The Catchment Sensitive Farming programme works alongside Countryside Stewardship and water company catchment programmes to advise farmers on ways to reduce pollutant loadings and other sustainable water management objectives.</p><p> </p><p>As part of our 25 Year Environment Plan commitments we introduced the Farming Rules for Water[1] in England in April 2018 to prevent and reduce diffuse pollution from agriculture. The rules are outcome focused and require farmers to manage their land and farming activities in ways which keep soil on the land, match nutrients to crop, and soil needs, and keep livestock fertilisers and manures out of the water.</p><p> </p><p>Other water and agriculture regulations are being reviewed as part of work to improve water quality and streamline the regulatory baseline for agriculture. Findings and evidence from the Environment Audit Committee’s report [UK progress on Reducing Nitrate Pollution] and the Dame Glenys Stacey Review, together with commitments in the Clean Air Strategy and evidence from the implementation of the Farming Rules for Water, will be considered by that review to enable a more integrated approach to reducing pollution from agriculture in future.</p><p><br></p><p>[1] The Reduction and Prevention of Agricultural Diffuse Pollution (England) Regulations 2018</p>