Improve water quality by applying for EFS

Water quality options have been very popular thus far with over half of farmers choosing water quality options in their EFS agreements.

Although the watercourse stabilisation with fencing option is not available this year, there are four other water quality options, known as riparian buffer strips, available to choose from.

Riparian buffer strips involve fencing off a strip of land along a watercourse and allowing the natural vegetation to grow. Buffer strips improve water quality because they reduce the risk of nutrient, manure, sediment and pesticide run-off and prevent livestock accessing the watercourse.

Applicants have a choice of two metre or 10 metre wide riparian buffer strips which can be planted with clumps of native trees if required. When planted with trees the buffer strips provide the additional benefits of reduced peak flood flow and increased bank stability but they should not be planted on existing flood defence banks.

Remember choosing to put in a riparian margin does not mean you lose that land for Basic Payment. The Basic Payment Scheme can be claimed for the length of the scheme agreement if Single Farm Payment was claimed and paid on the land in 2008.

In addition if you choose a water quality option at EFS application, a range of capital items may then also be selected including a pasture pump, drinking trough, trough base, pipe work and/or gates.

Tranche 4 of the Environmental Farming Scheme Wider Level (EFS) is open for applications until midnight Friday, September 11.

Further information on the scheme is available by visiting the DAERA website - https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/environmental-farming-scheme-efs-wider-level. Please read these carefully before selecting your options.