The Environment Agency (EA) is looking at facilitating abstraction groups in agriculture and horticulture given the dry conditions many parts of the UK are still experiencing.

Junier Browne, senior adviser in the abstractions team at the EA head office environment and business directorate said: “With abstraction groups licence holders can group together and use any spare capacity on their licences. That would be limited by geography but we are looking at putting the facility there and relaxing some of the provision for who can abstract, for example.”

Browne emphasised however, that environmental protection and sustainability are still at the heart of any decision making.

The EA will be at a further drought summit with DEFRA on 27 June with representatives from the NFU. Browne said the dry spring has meant that growers started to abstract earlier and so may reach their limits earlier.