Catchment Sensitive Farming on the Isle of Wight
Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) provides completely free and confidential advice locally delivered to farmers and land managers to help reduce water and air pollution from agriculture, improve soil health and support sustainable, profitable farming.
Led by Natural England, CSF is a partnership between Defra, the Environment Agency and the Forestry Commission along with local delivery organisations. On the Isle of Wight, Natural Enterprise – a Newport-based charity – is the local delivery partner working directly with the Island’s farming community.
What Catchment Sensitive Farming Offers:
Through CSF, Isle of Wight farmers and landowners can access:
- Free and confidential advice on reducing diffuse pollution and improving farm practices
- On-farm assessments and tailored guidance on infrastructure improvements
- Support with agri-environmental scheme applications, including the CS Capital Grant Scheme
- Advice on payment-options available under Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs)
- Training in sustainable and practical farming methods
- Help reducing greenhouse gas emissions and bolstering natural flood management while supporting long-term farm business viability
All advice is tailored to individual farms and aims to deliver environmental benefits while supporting profitable, resilient farm businesses.
Why It Matters:
CSF supports farmers in taking voluntary, practical actions to:
- Improve water quality in rivers and aquifers
- Protect Island habitats and biodiversity
- Reduce the risk of flooding and soil erosion
- Lower agricultural emissions that contribute to climate change
Crucially, all this is done with a clear understanding of the economic realities of modern farming. CSF helps make environmental improvements work for your business—not against it.
Impact of Catchment Sensitive Farming:
Since 2006, CSF has supported more than 20,000 farms across England, leading to over 70,000 actions to reduce agricultural pollution. Nationally, this has contributed to:
- A 4% reduction in nitrates
- An 8% drop in phosphates
- A 12% reduction in sediment runoff
Farmer satisfaction with CSF is consistently high—92% of users report being satisfied with the service.
Work With Us on the Isle of Wight:
Natural Enterprise is proud to deliver CSF support to the Isle of Wight’s farming community. As a charity dedicated to agriculture, heritage and the environment, Natural Enterprise is ideally placed to support local farmers and land managers through the delivery of CSF assistance.
If you're a farmer or land manager based on the Isle of Wight and would like to access assistance from CSF, please get in touch:
catchmentsensitivefarmingiow@naturalenterprise.co.uk
01983 296244
Learn More
Follow Us:
Stay up to date with the latest news, tips and case studies from the Island:
Instagram: @catchment_sensitive_farmingiow
Facebook: Catchment Sensitive Farming IOW