The mini-tour of Norfolk and Cambridgeshire took Mrs Capper to farms where water security is crucial to the business. She was able to see at first hand examples of best practice and sustainable water management.
The first stop was to EW Porter & Son at Feltwell in south west Norfolk, where Jeremy Harrison Porter and farm manager Jim Scarratt described the steps they are taking to meet the irrigation demands of crops including main-crop and salad potatoes, onions, parsnips and sugar beet.
Jeremy Harrison Porter is a fifth generation farmer at Grange Farm. The business has been growing root crops for 30 years and has worked hard to minimise the risk of running out of water. The farm benefits from a range of river and borehole sources of supply, with two reservoirs and further storage also planned.
The farm continues to invest in modern water saving practices and equipment to drive down ‘crop per drop’, including soil moisture monitoring and ‘drip’ application methods.
Mrs Capper also spent time at Allpess Farms, near Chatteris in the Cambridgeshire Fens. Hosts Patrick and Nick Allpress are specialist leek growers who grow crops on farms throughout Norfolk, Suffolk and Lincolnshire.
Patrick explained that, after substantial investment in long term business planning, the future security of abstraction licences in the catchments they operate in is of vital importance.
Elsewhere, labour issues dominated discussions at a series of meetings organised with NFU grower groups. Members also identified plant protection products, producer organisations and the future development of Red Tractor farm assurance as major challenges for local growers.
Irrigation in the Norfolk Broads, and the current uncertainty about the renewal of time limited licences caused by the Habitats Regulations, were other key concerns raised.
Mrs Capper said: “It was very kind of the NFU members involved to give up their time to help us to really understand the issues they face. Water licensing is a serious issue for all farmers and the work in Norfolk will be important for the rest of the country. The NFU must ensure that the authorities understand the needs to prioritise water for food production.”
The visit was coordinated by NFU National Water Resources Specialist Paul Hammett, working with Cambridgeshire County Adviser Hannah Padfield and Norfolk County Adviser John Newton.