Severn Trent and Anglian offer support for farmers to protect rivers

Severn Trent Water and Anglian Water have launched a new support package for farmers to encourage environmentally friendly and regenerative farming practices.

The package includes match-funding infrastructural investments; partnership offers; and tree planting.

Match-funding infrastructural investments

Severn Trent will provide match funding of up to £30,000 for items which help protect water quality as part of its Severn Trent Environmental Protection Scheme, which is aimed at the c.9,000 farmers in the region who have land in a priority catchment. Anglian Water will for a second year offer match-funding Farming Innovation Grants to projects pursuing low-carbon and regenerative farming in its key priority catchments.

Partnership offers

The first partnership, with Agreena, will help farmers transition to regenerative practices. The second partnership is an ambition to work with NatWest to give farmers access to ‘green loans’ for investment in sustainable farming options.

Tree planting

Severn Trent will fully fund trees, planting and maintenance for 35 years under its Trees for Water scheme. After the initial 35-year period, landowners will have the ability to keep or sell the residual carbon credits.

The companies said the package has the potential to enhance over 62,000ha of land across Severn Trent’s region and over 10,000ha across Anglian Water’s region, and to reduce agricultural carbon emissions by at least 20%.

The initiative is part of the companies’ Get River Positive commitment, to protect rivers and the wider environment.