Environment Agency - Home

Agriculture

Agriculture provides wildlife habitats, a well-loved landscape and a place for recreation but it also has some less desirable impacts on the environment.

We regulate farming through regimes such as Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZ) compliance, water abstraction licensing, and the Environmental Permitting Regulations.

Parts of East Anglia are in drought status and other regions are experiencing near-drought conditions.  We've activated our drought plans and produce a weekly drought management brief:

You can take the opportunity to abstract high summer flows (before 1 November 2011):

For more details about regimes affecting agriculture please visit the following web pages:

If your farm has a private sewage treatment system or makes any other discharges to water, you may require an environmental permit.

Working in or near rivers

If you are planning to do any work in or near a watercourse, you may need to appy for various permissions before you start work. Contact your local Environment Agency office for more information.

  • Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs)

    Information for farmers. Find out if the land you farm is in a nitrate vulnerable zone, and what you need to do if it is.

  • The Water Resources (Control of Pollution) (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) Regulations 2010 (SSAFO)

    These regulations aim to prevent water pollution from stores of silage, slurry and agricultural fuel oil.

  • Intensive farming (pigs and poultry) - home page

    Pig and poultry production is a vital part of UK agriculture and accounts for around one fifth of total agricultural output.

  • What is agricultural waste?

    Agricultural waste is any substance or object from premises used for agriculture or horticulture, which the holder discards, intends to discard or is required to discard. It is waste specifically generated by agricultural activities.

  • Arable

    The UK is the fourth largest producer of cereal and oilseeds in Europe. Cereals are grown on over 70,000 farms, mainly along the drier east side of the UK.

  • Dairy and beef

    Around 42,300 beef and dairy farms in England and Wales manage over 160,000 square kilometres of land

  • Energy crops

    Energy crops are plants grown to use as fuel

  • Farming in the winter

    Advice for farmers in extreme winter weather.

  • Sheep

    With a national flock of 25 million sheep and lambs, Britain is one of the major sheep producers in Europe and the seventh largest lamb producer in the world. Our sheep farmers also produce 70 thousand tonnes of wool each year.

  • Good practice

    There are a variety of things farmers can do to make their business more efficient and greener. Find out more about what you can do.