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delivered at the regional level by ADAS, The Arable Group (TAG) and The Dairy Group
with support from the NFU, CLA and LEAF and working closely with the relevant RDS
Regional Farm Advice Co-ordinator (RFAC). Advice is given to land managers and key
influencers on nutrient, manure, soil, pesticide and waste management. Conferences,
workshops/seminars, farmer discussion/self-help groups, farm walks, individual farm
visits are all used as advice delivery methods. ActiveSolutions, a specialist public
relations company with extensive experience with the agricultural industry, has
developed a comprehensive publicity and promotional programme directed at farmers
and advisors on environmental issues. The approach includes the use of national
and regionally published topical articles in the farming and local press in addition to
targeted advertising of events and through postal invitations to individuals to attend
local events. The ESF website (www.environmentsensitivefarming.co.uk) promotes
the project, provides an events calendar and bookings facility, includes technical
information, relevant legislation, PowerPoint presentations and links to collaborators
and other relevant sites. All information is available for downloading and use without
copyright restrictions. Events are planned in accordance with regional prioritisation
plans that are approved annually with the RDS project manager and developed with
the RFACs and in consultation with organisations such as the Environment Agency,
the NFU and English Nature. The intention is to improve the targeting and prioritising
of resources and advice and to use existing networks such as LEAF demonstration
farms, and NFU and CLA, together with their facilities.
MacLeod Research Ltd has, independently evaluated events and their success to
date. In the 8-month period, February 2005 to September 2005, 45 ESF events were
held. Evaluation forms, completed at events, from a total of 348 land managers,
294 advisors and 105 other agricultural influencers have been processed. Baseline
surveys (attitudes and practice prior to attending events) from a total of 286 land
managers and 220 advisors attending these events have been processed. Followup
surveys (to identify whether changes in practices have actually happened 3 to
5 months after each event took place) were conducted by telephone with 139 land
managers and 136 advisors/ influencers. This paper provides a snapshot from the
early months of the three-year programme and provides some useful messages from
the farmers and advisers influenced to date. The findings are based on the 747 event
evaluation surveys, 506 baseline surveys and 275 follow-up surveys processed for
this period.
RESULTS
Understanding and Attitudes to Diffuse Pollution
Two out of three advisors and influencers completing base-line surveys between
February and September 2005 said that they did not fully understand the term
‘diffuse pollution’. Eighty per cent of the land managers and 82% of the advisors
and influencers interviewed 3 and 5 months after the ESF events held in February
to April 2005 said that their understanding of diffuse pollution had improved as a
result of attending the event. 47% of land managers and one in three advisors/
influencers said that their limited understanding of ‘diffuse pollution’ had improved
as a result of attending an ESF event. A further 33% of land managers and half of the
advisors/ influencers attending said that although they had a good understanding of
‘diffuse pollution’ before the ESF event, their understanding of ‘diffuse pollution’ had
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