Agricultural phosphate trading scheme evidence base
Case reference EIR2023/00693
Published 19 April 2023
Request
Please advise what research has been commissioned and produced into the feasibility and efficacy of a phosphate trading scheme for the agricultural sector in the Wye catchment.
Please also provide: The dates the research was commissioned, the research briefs, details of the commissioning tenders and contracts awarded.
And Copies of the final and/or any interim research findings.
Response
The requested information is not held.
The council is currently in informal discussions with our statutory agency partners concerning what work needs to be commissioned for a business case to manage diffuse water pollution from agriculture which could potentially include a trading scheme underpinned by a strong regulatory floor with mandatory reduction requirements for all farms in the catchment. At present no research has been commissioned and decisions on which agencies will commission which work have yet to be taken.
There is an intention to commission work on this policy area in the near future, the specification and outputs for which will not be published as they form part of the policy development framework for managing diffuse water pollution from agriculture which will be published formally at a future date. If you wish us to consider disclosure of any specification and outputs information held by the council under the Environmental Information Regulations, once the commission of the work is undertaken, please submit a further request at that time.
The March Public Update of the Cabinet Commission and the March Herefordshire Cabinet report provides details of the latest available information and the links are as follows:
Agenda for Cabinet on Thursday 2 March 2023, 2.30 pm - Herefordshire Council
Cabinet Commission on Restoring the River Wye public update 22 March 2023 (herefordshire.gov.uk)
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
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