Michael Gove visits The Wye and Usk Foundation

Michael Gove visits The Wye and Usk Foundation

Jayne Mann

07/06/18

On the 25th of May, Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, paid a visit to The Wye and Usk Foundation in response to the Saving the Earth report we launched last month in partnership with the Angling Trust and WWF. Local farmer, Chris Norman from The Leen Farm in Pembridge, hosted the visit and was joined by our Chief Executive, Arlin Rickard as well as representatives from the Angling Trust, Environment Agency and WWF. During the visit, the Minister was shown how issues such as agricultural pollution and soil loss can be solved without adversely affecting farmers’ income. Simon Evans from the Wye and Usk Foundation said: “I was really pleased that the minister could come and visit one of the farms we’ve been working closely with and it was great to show him the progress we’ve made in improving agricultural practices and the impact that has been having on the water quality of the river. “Our initial success has been through the connections established within the individuals and organisations that form the Wye Catchment Partnership. The Partnership has really helped our farm advisors by combining better-targeted Government support for farmers with more effective regulation from the Environment Agency. In Herefordshire, this combination supports farmers to adopt more practices that reduce pollution and increase profits.” Arlin Rickard, Chief Executive at The Rivers Trust, said: “more often than not, practices that are good for rivers and fish can also optimise inputs and improve agricultural profitability. “We were delighted that the Minister could come and visit one of our local Rivers Trusts and see first-hand how by working locally and more effectively, through the CaBA Catchment Partnership, major improvements can be made without limiting farm productivity.”
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