Catchment-Sensitive Farming: Tackling Diffuse Water Pollution from Agriculture in England —Policies and Drivers - Water and Agriculture: Sustainability, Markets and Policies - page 277

Conclusion
Agriculture is a significant contributor to diffuse pollution and to eutrophication of UK
waters.
Our policies are aimed at a sustainable farming industry — looking to improve the
environmental performance of the industry without compromising the economic and
social benefits.
It is important in the short term to make farmers aware of their contribution to the
problem, and to support them in adapting their farming practices.
Longer-term it may be necessary, and more cost-effective, to use stronger legislative
measures to ensure the industry plays its part in protecting the environment.
The principal challenge is to identify appropriate and most cost-effective measures for
tackling the impact of farming on the environment while ensuring, in the long term a
sustainable farming industry.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank Philip Andrews from Sustainable Agriculture Strategy (Defra),
Patrice Mongelard, CSF Delivery Project (Defra) and Stuart Gibbons from CSF Policy (Defra) for their
help and input into this paper.