Wessex Water is to offer farmers up to £40 per hectare to convert to organic methods.
The utility company says the scheme should help it reduce water pollution from pesticides, improve water quality for customers and provide financial benefits for the farmers.
The idea was first mooted in April 1998, but was delayed by lack of funding from outside the company. Now Wessex has decided to make the payments itself. It says customer bills will not rise as a result.
The scheme is being developed with the Soil Association, which is drawing up a plan of action. Once this is finalised, farmers in a trial catchment area will be sent letters ‘in late autumn’ offering money to help them go organic – if a survey finds their land is suitable. Although Wessex is not sure how many hectares or farmers will be covered, the first pilots could start in Spring 2000.
Andrea Husband, compliance scientist at Wessex, said the company was trying ‘to treat the causes of water pollution rather than the symptoms’ by encouraging farmers to use fewer chemicals.