The Importance of Obtaining CSFO Consent

If you are thinking about applying for Defra capital funding this year, whether to improve yards and tracks or to upgrade slurry and manure infrastructure, your first thought should be: do I need Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer (CSFO) consent? CSFOs are part of the Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) programme, a partnership between Natural England, Defra and the Environment Agency. Their role is to support farmers in reducing water and air pollution and improve environmental outcomes on farm.

For certain capital items, you must have CSFO approval before you apply. A CSFO will look at your plans and confirm whether the investment will genuinely help improve water or air quality, something Defra requires for these grants to be awarded.

These grants can be highly valuable, so it’s essential to confirm your eligibility as early as possible. CSFO approval must be requested at least 10 weeks before the final application deadline and importantly, it cannot be obtained retrospectively once an application has been submitted.

If you are considering any Defra-funded capital works, it is crucial to confirm your priority status early. Get in touch with us and we can check whether the land falls within a high‑priority water‑quality area, helping ensure no valuable grant opportunities are missed and allowing the application process to move forward smoothly.

Please contact:

Megan Rogers (Kettering) on 07747 625716.

Maisie Evans (Shrewsbury) on 07825 082540.

Tom Harris (Towcester) on 07747 567910.

Sarah Meredith (Hereford) on 07799 902948.