Minister urges farmers to help improve water quality | Newry Times | Latest Newry News, Newry Sport and Newry Business for Newry City

Minister urges farmers to help improve water quality | Newry Times

Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Edwin Poots has reminded farmers of the importance of improving water quality on farms as he inspected buffer strips erected under EFS within the Upper Bann catchment on a farm in Katesbridge, County Down.

 

Minister urges farmers to help improve water quality - Newry Times - newry local newspaper

 

Water quality measures under the Environmental Farming Scheme are being implemented by farmers in the Upper Bann catchment and these are coordinated by the Rivers Trust under an EFS Group project.

 

 

AfBI and the University of Ulster are research partners in the project, which is part of ongoing efforts to improve the water quality in one of Northern Ireland’s most important waterways.

Speaking during the visit, Minister Poots said, “I would encourage any farmer to take up the challenge of improving and protecting water quality on their farm.

“We know that riparian (watercourse) buffer strips improve water quality because they reduce the risk of nutrients from manure and fertilisers and pesticide run-off contaminating watercourses.

“They also prevent livestock accessing the watercourse, eroding the banks and causing sediment loss.

 



 

“We also know that these impacts on water quality are widespread.

“So I would urge farmers to avail of the water quality options within EFS to help tackle this issue if they haven’t already done so,” Minister Poots added.

The EFS, which is currently open for applications until 10 September, offers support for a choice of 2 metre or 10 metre wide riparian buffers which can be planted with clumps of native trees if required to improve bank stability and reduce peak flood flow.

 

 


Keep up to date with all the latest Northern Ireland Coronavirus / Covid-19 news HERE.


 

Short URL: https://newrytimes.com/?p=76841

Posted by on Sep 9 2021. Filed under Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

Leave a Reply







Find us on Facebook

Log in | Designed by Gabfire themes