Failures in nutrient planning, soil testing and yard drainage systems are some of the most common breaches found on farms during Environment Agency inspections, with some form of non-compliance discovered on around half of farms.

Alice Johnson, a member of the farming team within Strutt & Parker, says that the EA has been gradually increasing the number of inspections it carries out on farms to improve water quality and reduce diffuse pollution, so farmers should be prepared.

"Notifications of an inspection are currently coming through thick and fast in some catchments and it can be a stressful time for farmers," says Alice.

"Being picked by the EA may not mean you are under suspicion of doing something wrong, but it could relate to concern about water quality in a local river if there are high or rising levels of pollutants like nitrates and phosphates.

"The letter from the Environment Agency will explain all the paperwork that the inspector will want to see, but, in our experience, it can be very reassuring to have addressed any potential weaknesses well in advance, rather than under pressure.

"A pre-inspection audit can help to identify if there are any obvious gaps and be a springboard for exploring opportunities for grant funding if there are problem areas."

According to the EA, some form of non-compliance was identified at 51% of farm inspections carried out last year.

Common problems include insufficient capacity for slurry storage, no nutrient management plan or not being able to show soil test results.

"An issue we are also seeing come up a lot– particularly given the amount of rain we have had recently – is a lack of a drainage plan for yards, particularly where people have taken advantage of the Capital Grants scheme to lay new concrete," says Alice.

"Inspectors will want to see that clean and dirty water is being kept separately and that rainwater harvesting systems are adequately sized and located appropriately.

"It is worth remembering that slurry is defined as water which contains any level of faecal matter, so making sure that procedures are in place to avoid the contamination of clean water is very important."

In 2024/5, there were more than 4,500 inspections on non-permitted farms – so covering the arable, dairy, beef and sheep sectors – with a target to increase this to more than 6,000 by 2029.

The EA does tend to take an 'advice-led approach' to breaches in the first instance – to give farmers time to rectify any problems – but will use enforcement powers where necessary. 

An application round for the Capital Grants scheme is expected in 2026, which should be an opportunity for farming businesses to secure funding for projects which reduce diffuse pollution.

"We have previously secured significant levels of funding for roofs for slurry stores, farmyard manure stores, and silage clamps to reduce dirty water storage capacity requirements," says Alice.

"But farmers considering making an application for the 2026 round of the scheme are advised to start their preparations now.

"Capital projects which will improve air and water quality typically require approval from a Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer (CSFO), so farmers should engage with their local CSFO as soon as possible."