A new farmer-based advisory group is to be launched in Somerset this month aimed at giving farmers a united voice on environment, flood risk and water quality issues across the county.

Farming with the Flow is an event aimed at getting farmers involved and making farming central to policies relating to managing water and the environment in Somerset. The new group will seek to influence the activities of all the agencies and organisations involved in flood risk, water quality and environmental management across the county.

CLA Rural Surveyor, Graham Clark, says that land management is the key to managing water and the environment.

“It is farmers and landowners who make the decisions on land use that are central to effective land management - and it is critical that public authorities understand that farmers know and understand the land they manage,” he said.

The new group is the result of a co-operation between the CLA, NFU, The Royal Bath and West Society and the Somerset Rivers Authority. Farmers from across the county are invited to attend the inaugural meeting of the Somerset Catchments Farmer Advisory Group where they will hear what the principle aims and objectives of the group are and what influence it might have over future decisions.

The meeting will also hear from key organisations including the Environment Agency, Catchment Sensitive Farming, FWAG and Wessex Water – and all of them require farmer input.

Mr Clark says there will be opportunities to question the organisations represented on the issues and opportunities from a farmer and land owner perspective. Attendees will also hear from a successful similar group from the Poole Harbour catchment in Dorset.

“The ambition is to make this farmer and landowner led group a key voice on environmental issues in the county. Given the impact of Brexit this a great time to get involved and shape the future. Anybody involved in farming and land management in Somerset should be concerned about how the county’s water and the environment are managed in the future,” he said.

Farming with the Flow takes place on Thursday 24 November at the Monks Yard, Horton Cross Farm, Horton Cross, Ilminster TA19 9PT from 7-9pm.

The event is free but people wishing to attend need to book through the CLA SW Office at southwest@cla.org.uk or by telephoning 01249 700200