Defra launches green farming guide

Protecting our Water, Soil and Air: A Code of Good Agricultural Practice for farmers, growers and land managers (the 'CoGAP') offers best practice advice for farmers to protect and enhance water, soil, and air quality in agricultural environments.

There were previously three separate codes for water, soil and air but Defra decided to consolidate them, thus making the advice more accessible to farmers and the public.

Speaking at the launch Minister for farming and the environment, Jane Kennedy said: "English farmers do a fantastic job of producing high quality food and looking after England's historic landscape. This new code will make it simpler and easier for them to interpret legislation and will help them take effective steps to avoid pollution."

Written by technical specialists from Defra and Natural England, the guide covers subjects including managing fertilisers and applying nutrients to avoid soil contamination, storing silage and handling effluents, and waste storage, recovery, and disposal.

It is aimed at all farm staff and contractors on farms who handle, store, use, spread or dispose of any substances that could pollute water, soil or air.

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