Protecting Our Rivers Is Protecting Our Future - Why Proactive Farming Matters

I've been on farms all my life. Born into agriculture, farming is in my blood — and like most people who work the land, I care deeply about the countryside we call home.

Our rivers are part of that environment. They run through our fields, our villages, and our lives. So when headlines appear about declining river health, pollution and finger-pointing at farmers. it's not something any of us can ignore.

I’ve seen first-hand the professionalism of British farmers. Nobody gets up in the morning thinking, “How can I pollute a river today?” It's simply not how this industry works.

But we also have to face into reality: agriculture does contribute to diffuse pollution — and public expectation is changing. The days of hoping the spotlight moves on are behind us. Now is the time for leadership.

The River Scrutiny Is Not Going Away

The River Wye has become the poster case for river pollution in the UK. It's a stunning landscape with a long history of farming, especially intensive poultry. Combine that with ageing sewage systems struggling under rising demand and increasingly volatile weather, and you have a perfect storm.

We cannot simply say, “It’s the water companies” — even though ageing infrastructure and storm overflow events are a significant part of the issue. Agriculture plays its role too.

Animals graze. Crops need nutrients. Manure exists. Heavy rainfall events — the kind we seem to get more frequently — cause runoff. Nutrients like nitrogen and phosphate enter watercourses. And when too much nutrient enters a river? You get algal blooms, reduced oxygen, stressed ecosystems — what scientists call eutrophication.

Farmers know this. Many are working diligently to minimise it. But the media and public want proof. Regulators want proof. And the supply chain increasingly demands it.

Good Practice Is Already Here - And Getting Better

So what does responsible practice look like in 2025? It’s simple, really. The foundations haven’t changed much, but the discipline around them has:

• Managing soils for long-term health

• Using manures and fertilisers at the right time and in the right quantities

• Writing and following nutrient and manure management plans

• Testing soils regularly

• Maintaining equipment

• Keeping clean and dirty water separate

• Storing slurry and manure safely

• Planning — not reacting

Tools like the AHDB’s RB209 nutrient guide help farmers make evidence-based decisions. FACTS-qualified advisors like me support where needed. Water companies increasingly offer grants to help upgrade yards, cover stores, or improve drainage.

There is no shortage of guidance — and many farms are doing an excellent job implementing it. But we must be honest: not everyone has a plan in place. And “we do the right thing” is no longer enough. We need to be able to demonstrate it.

Proactive Assurance - Not a Stick, But a Shield

One problem with the current regulatory model is that it’s largely reactive. The Environment Agency does great work, but it cannot be on every farm. So if an issue arises — fairly or unfairly — a farm or a brand can suddenly find itself defending its reputation.

That’s why I’ve spent the last few years helping develop proactive assurance schemes aligned with farming rules for water. Not to beat farmers with a stick — far from it. But to give farmers and supply chains something tangible:

Evidence of good practice

✅ A structured improvement pathway

✅ Independent verification

✅ Protection when questions arise

In short — confidence. Confidence for producers, processors, retailers, and ultimately the public.

Retailers and Brands: Know Your Supply Chain

We are entering a new era in food production. Consumers expect sustainability. NGOs are watching. Legal firms are circling, looking for the next diesel emissions-style lawsuit.

If you're a retailer, processor, or large integrator, now is the time to ask:

• Where are my supplying farms located?

• Are any near sensitive river systems?

• What risk management and assurance is in place?

• Am I supporting my supply chain to get ahead of future regulation?

Cheap food and high standards don’t live comfortably together without proactive effort. The supply chain has a responsibility to help farmers invest, improve, and evidence best practice — not just expect compliance.

Innovation Is Coming — Fast

There is real progress happening:

• Pelletising poultry litter to make transport viable

• Extracting phosphate from manures

• Expanding mixed farming systems to balance nutrient cycles

• Growing energy crops more responsibly

• Using digestate more precisely

• Developing biochar from manure

This isn’t an industry burying its head in the sand. It's one innovating fast — because it understands what’s at stake.

Final Thought

British farming is world-class. But public trust must be earned continually. River health isn’t just an environmental issue — it’s a reputational and commercial one. Protecting rivers means protecting our licence to farm. It protects our brands, our markets, and our future.

And ultimately, it protects something much bigger — the countryside we are proud to steward.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. If you'd like to listen to the podcast click here.

Duncan Parkinson

Agriculture Client Manager at Supply Chain In-sites Ltd