THE Environment Agency is appealing to farmers to ensure they continue to minimise the risk of pollution when making silage this season.

"Farmers have made tremendous progress in recent years to reduce pollution from silage effluent, whose enormous polluting strength is now realised," said Tim Pickering, principal officer at the Agency's Midlands region, adding that silage effluent was up to 200 times more polluting than untreated sewage.

However, Mr Pickering said no one could afford to be complacent.

"We are worried at the potential for increased problems this year," he said.

"After a very dry start to the season, grass has now grown quickly, giving a higher moisture content and the recent unsettled weather may disrupt wilting.

"Both of these factors can increase influent volumes substantially and some farmers could get caught out."

Farmers have, therefore, been urged to pay special attention to key guidance, including:

- Ensure silos and effluent systems comply with the Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil Regulations.

- If at all possible, avoid making silage if wet weather is forecast.

- Wilt the grass as much as possible, as this can virtually eliminate effluent.

- Check drains and ditches daily for any signs of leaking effluent.

- Ensure collection channels and drains remain free of obstructions.

- Make sure the effluent tanks do not overflow

- Hae a contingency plan to collect effluent that does leak.

- Spread the effluent on land or feed it back to livestock.

If silage is made in "big bales", the Agency is asking for the usual precautions to be followed:

- Make silage as dry as possible by wilting

- Don't store or opening bales within 30ft of any watercourse or 150ft of any spring.

Farmer has his eyes on prize for wildlife

A WORCESTERSHIRE farm is one step closer to winning a prestigious British conservation award.

Upper Wolverton Farm, in Spetchley, near Worcester, is through to the national round of the 2003 Silver Lapwing Award.

Now in its 25th year, the annual competition aims to find the farmer whose skilful stewardship has done most to encourage wildlife and enrich the countryside on a commercially run farm.

It is organised by the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) and sponsored by Farmcare, the UK's leading farm management business.

Upper Wolverton is one of 23 entries chosen locally to compete against the best in the country. Judges have now started the task of drawing up a shortlist of six finalists to be visited in July.

The national winner will be presented with a trophy and prize money of £1,000 at a London awards ceremony later in the year.

"All the farmers reaching the national round are to be congratulated on successfully integrating good conservation practice with sound commercial farming," said James Money-Kyrle, chief executive of FWAG.

"The importance of environmentally sensitive farming has become widely accepted and the quality is rising each year."

Support

Christine Tacon, general manager of Farmcare, also voiced her support for the scheme.

"The Silver Lapwing competition presents an excellent opportunity for farmers to show the public just how well they are looking after the countryside," she said.

"We strongly support the Government's wish to encourage us all to farm more environmentally, and the Silver Lapwing Award has shown great foresight in recognising the most outstanding examples of good practice."

Upper Wolverton is a 537-acre arable farm whose main crops are wheat, oats, oil seed rape and winter beans.

Farmer Desmond Caldicott has retained a network of thick hedges, which offer good cover for wildlife, and has planted 19 acres of broadleaf trees. Nightingales, grey partridge, skylarks and owls are frequently seen on the farm.

Permanent set-aside is also an important wildlife habitat, and a pond which was created as a reservoir now attracts many species of damselfly and dragonfly.

Use of fertiliser and insecticide is carefully controlled, and the nettles, which have been left where possible, attract many of the 26 species of butterfly recorded at Upper Wolverton.

"The Caldicott family has shown a keen and practical interest in wildlife conservation over a number of years" said Julie Dadson, of Worcestershire FWAG.

"They have integrated this with excellent commercial practice where crops and yields up to the best standards."