The Government’s changes to inheritance tax and other challenges are “bad” for farmers’ focus on reducing their impact, according to the head of the environment watchdog.
Alan Lovell, chairman of the Environment Agency, revealed that farmers caused a record number of pollution incidents in English rivers last year in a slideshow document obtained by the Times.
The slides, which Mr Lovell presented to an audience of landowners at the Rivers’ Forum 2025 in Maidenhead last week and have been seen by the PA news agency, outlined figures and a general overview of river pollution incidents in 2024.
Mr Lovell also outlined issues that are distracting farmers in a slide titled: “Challenges for farmers bad for environmental focus”.
An Environment Agency spokesperson said the Government recognises challenges farmers are facing and that Mr Lovell’s comments at the forum were not critical of its policy but rather provided context for the outlined challenges.
One graph in the slides showed there were 77 recorded incidents of “serious pollutions from agriculture” in England last year – up 54% from 50 the year before and the highest level since the series of records began five years ago.
The increase is likely partly because the Environment Agency has stepped up its annual number of farm inspections, carrying out 4,545 last year on water rules compared to around 1,000 annually in 2020.
These include Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s introduction of a 20% inheritance tax on agricultural properties and businesses, which has become a political flashpoint for a struggling industry, sparking major outrage and ongoing tractor protests.
It also pointed to the Government’s increase in employers’ national insurance and minimum wage, drought and floods in the last two years, issues with the sustainability farming incentive (SFI) and temporary labour restrictions.
The Government abruptly closed the SFI – which sees farmers paid public money for implementing sustainable practices – to applications in March after the money was all spent, with a reformed scheme not set to reopen until early next year.
Mr Lovell said the impact of all these challenges have lead to “financial pressures” and “Government nervousness” towards the sector.
Ministers have responded to public anger over the polluted state of England’s rivers, seas and lakes with wide-ranging reforms to the water sector, which has been dumping increasing amounts of untreated sewage into waterways during periods of wet and stormy weather.
But agriculture pollution has also contributed to the crisis, with slurry, pesticides run-off and chicken manure washing into rivers, damaging habitats and species.
Rachel Hallows, National Farmers’ Union vice president, said: “As a farming industry, we know there’s much more we can do to improve water quality issues but it’s a challenge we cannot face alone.
“With the right funding support and regulation that helps not hinders, farmers can invest in their businesses and continue the great work that’s already being carried out to better soil health and carefully manage how much manure and fertiliser is applied to fields.
“This is all about futureproofing our use of water. With the right approach and investment, we can not only keep delivering sustainable and affordable food and economic growth for this country but can also be transformative for water quality.”
The Environment Agency spokesperson said: “We are working with farmers to reduce agricultural pollution and we recognise the challenges farmers are facing, including from increased extreme weather.
“Alan Lovell’s comments at the Rivers Forum last week provided context for these challenges; he was not critical of government policy.”
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