Background Use of crop-protection products presents a number of environmental challenges. Nitrate-based fertilizers and pesticides in particular pollute waters and harm biodiversity in surrounding areas. There is a need to make farmers aware of agricultural practices designed to support sustainable development – measures which will restore and preserve the quality of the natural environment while still guaranteeing the economic sustainability of farming. This project originated among farmers themselves in a 14,000ha area around the Peron river in Picardie, northern France. More than 120 smallholdings are situated in this area, growing crops typical of the region, mainly cereals such as corn, barley, together with sugar beet and oil-seed rape. There is some breeding stock. One farmer, Charles Brueder, created a series of measures to manage and limit the environmental risks posed by his own farming activities, in particular by removing nitrogen and hydrocarbons resulting from accidents or the use of phytosanitary products, liquid fertilizers, or fuel. This initiative was taken up by the Chamber of Agriculture of Aisne with a co-operative of local administrative and economic organizations so that the ideas could be developed through this LIFE project. Objectives The overall aim was to improve the farmers’ approach to the use of crop-protection products throughout the Peron river basin; in particular to reduce nitrate contamination of the environment and improve the water quality in the river’s catchment area. The beneficiary and its partners worked to define, then promote, codes of best agricultural practice aimed at reducing pollution - including through installation of identified agricultural equipment and use of scientific tools. This was to be done in a way that would maintain the economic viability of participating farmers. Results were to be monitored and successful ideas used as models of best land-husbandry practice for dissemination among the farming community on a European scale. Particular aims were: to diagnose sources of water contamination from pesticides and nitrates; to devise a plan for improvements specific to each participating farm; to help the farmers implement and adopt the recommended tools and working methods; and to quantify results produced by the changes. Results The project succeeded in engaging farmers in reducing the pollution from agricultural practices. The good practices shared enabled important reductions in pollution from nitrates and phytosanitary products. This has had a positive impact on water quality and is expected to help biodiversity in the project area. The project started with an inventory of environmental pressures in the area. Studies examined the quality of both surface- and groundwater and the current respect of related EU legislation such as the Nitrates Directive, Water Framework Directive, and the Directive on the sustainable use of plant production products in current farming practices. The inventory identified risk areas of point source and diffuse pollution from pesticides and fertilizers and traced their origins. Flora and fauna in the area were appraised. When the process began it was expected that 25 farmers would sign contracts, but the number grew to an eventual 76 farmers signing 41 different contracts. They agreed to diagnose their farms, use the available tools to help combat pollution and set up water-protection measures recommended as a result of the analysis. This individualized approach was a novel element of the project. Farmers indicated willingness to make the changes and some undertook recommended measures at their own cost. Many others, however, (43 of the 76) requested funding from outside the project to enable them to undertake the work. Changes already achieved include: installation of ‘nitrate traps’ on 50% of land affected by nitrate infiltration; adaptation to reduce high-level infiltration in 70% of places identified as being at risk; planting of 5,000m of hedgerows and grass strips in sensitive areas; and changing crop rotation practices and use of pesticides. Preliminary results indicate nitrate levels have been reduced by 40 units for rape fields and 10 units for wheat, amounting to reductions of 20-30%. It is estimated that the risk of pollution linked to phytosanitary products was reduced by 90%. In April 2005, in one location along the Peron, 26 molecules of pesticide were found to be in the water; in May 2007, there were only two. Initial testing has thus shown improvements in water quality and it is expected that the project will lead to a revival of biodiversity in the Péron basin in the medium-term. The project has been seen as innovative and has been visited by farmers’ representatives from several European countries.