Welcome back to our Sustainability Trailblazer series. David Burton is Business Development Senior Adviser for the Catchment Sensitive Farming partnership for Natural England.
What is Catchment Sensitive Farming, exactly?
It’s a partnership between Defra, the Environment Agency and Natural England. We work with farmers to advise and provide grant funding to help them put environment goals at the heart of their operations.
Is it an exciting or scary time to be in nature conservation?
Both! Exciting because there’s so much opportunity to do good right now, especially with the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan. Scary because of climate change and biodiversity loss – those twin challenges are really frightening.
So, a contradiction of sorts?
Well, in a sense – we’ve got this crisis … and while we’re waking up to this fact, we are running out of time and resources to act.
What can we as a society do to help protect our natural systems?
A lot of it is around the individual choices we make. There are some big challenges when it comes to making good choices about what we eat. We also don’t always appreciate the hard work that farmers have to do in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss.
What’s the solution?
I think it starts with communication. Then evidence-based advice. Which is why platforms like Cranswick’s are really good because they are hopefully raising awareness on these issues in an intelligent and transparent way. And farm advice programmes like Catchment Sensitive Farming have a vital role to help farmers move from concerned awareness to positive action.
How important is the storytelling element in all of this?
I think storytelling is really powerful. That’s why people tune into programmes like Countryfile and Farming Today; they love those stories being told. In terms of being able to procure food with confidence and knowing the stories around them, that’s become easier in this digital age. It’s important we capitalise on this trend so people have a better understanding of where their food comes from and make informed choices about what they eat.
So, can our food choices support good farming practice?
Yes, definitely. Asking for more information about where your meat comes from is something everybody can do. The more retailers know that customers are interested in this, even with lower value items, the more likely they are to look at their procurement practices and help their farmer suppliers do more for nature.
What’s your advice to farmers who want to reduce their impacts?
Think about how you can improve the quality of your outputs, reduce your inputs and improve farm infrastructure and your farm system to reduce pollution of rivers and the atmosphere. The livestock sector has always been a bit behind in terms of thinking about soil health and effective nutrient management. Simple system-based changes are absolutely key.
And what can people do to help protect the countryside when they are out and about?
Be respectful of livestock, particularly for dog walkers, and understand the Countryside Code. Also, be supportive of good farming practices. Farming can be a lonely profession these days, so any positive reinforcement will be well received.
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