A focus on water
CLA East Adviser Peter Ewin updates on recent meetings that have focused on water management
The past few weeks have been exceptionally busy across the East, with the CLA representing members at major county shows, policy roundtables and sector events. Water and food security have been central themes, and the CLA has been working hard to ensure that the voice of landowners and rural businesses is heard clearly in these debates.
Suffolk Show: Roundtables on water resources
At the Suffolk Show, the CLA joined Jenny Riddell‑Carpenter MP for a series of roundtable discussions bringing together NFU counterparts and other rural stakeholders. These sessions provided a valuable forum to explore shared challenges around water management, regulation, and the pressures facing farming businesses. The conversations were constructive and collaborative, with a strong focus on how industry and government can work together to deliver a more resilient future for agriculture in the East.
Royal Norfolk Show: Engaging with Norfolk MPs
The Royal Norfolk Show offered another important platform for member engagement. The CLA took part in a panel discussion with five Norfolk MPs, discussing the issues that matter most to rural communities, with water security leading the way as a concern for all on the panel. Members were able to hear directly from their elected representatives, and the CLA used the opportunity to reinforce the need for clear, consistent policy that supports agriculture to receive its fair share of available water resources.
RPG Report Launch: Water, Food and Economic Growth
One of the highlights of the Royal Norfolk Show was hosting the Rural Policy Group’s launch of theirWater, Food and Economic Growth report at the CLA marquee. Martin Collison (RPG) and Kabeer Kher (Norfolk County Council Cabinet Member for Business, Skills and Agriculture) outlined the report’s findings, emphasising the strategic importance of water to the region’s agricultural productivity and wider economic resilience. Their contributions reinforced the need for long‑term planning, investment in infrastructure, and a genuinely joined‑up approach between local authorities, landowners and government.
Water resource management is now critical to Norfolk’s agricultural success. The county’s reliance on higher‑value crops, combined with the pressures of climate change, population growth and the imperative to reduce the environmental impact of abstraction, means water availability has become a defining constraint. As England’s driest region, the East faces acute water limitations, but it is also emerging as a proving ground for scalable and innovative solutions.
ESWAG (Essex Suffolk Water Abstractors Group) Open Day: Collaboration in Action
The CLA Rural Advisor Peter Ewin attended the ESWAG Open Day, engaging with partners working on water management and environmental stewardship across the East Suffolk catchments. Attendees visited the Managed Aquifer Recharge Trial at Bucklesham, before attending presentations by John Patrick of ESWAG and Mark Andrews of Sustainable Water Solutions followed by an update from Jenny Riddel-Carpenter on how she is promoting the issue both locally and at Westminster. Attendees were then invited to visit a new local reservoir and the Felixstowe Hydrocycle. The event showcased practical projects already underway and demonstrated how collaborative approaches can deliver meaningful results for both farming and the environment.
“Dirty Business?” panel event with Peter Prinsley MP
Water quality and environmental protection were again in the spotlight at Peter Prinsley MP’s ‘Dirty Business?’ panel event, where CLA Surveyor Juliet Stephens contributed to a thought‑provoking discussion. The session brought together national and local voices to examine the future of Britain’s waterways, highlighting both the scale of the challenge and the opportunities for innovation. The CLA emphasised the importance of practical, workable regulation and the role of land managers in delivering environmental improvement.
The CLA’s recent programme of shows, roundtables and sector events has strengthened our position in the regional water debate and ensured members’ priorities are clearly understood by policymakers. Over the coming months, we will continue pressing for fair access to water, practical regulation and long‑term investment, while deepening collaboration with partners across the East to drive scalable solutions for farming and the environment.