[1] CSF’s main objective is to improve water and air quality, and sustainable water management in England by providing farmers and landowners with free advice, training, and grant support in the following areas: [3] CSF works in river catchments across England, where local teams engage farmers, landowners and the wider community through local events, national shows, e-mail campaigns, phone calls, and on-site visits.

Work with partners includes developing tools, media campaigns, and conservation projects that support catchment objectives.

[2] CSF advisers only provide advice and grant approval (for schemes such as Countryside Stewardship), and do not enforce government regulation.

[4] The programme was created in 2006 to address water quality issues in only the worst affected drainage basins of England.

In 2018, the additional objective of improving air quality was added to the programme due to increasing ammonia emissions from agriculture.