From January 1, farms within Nitrate Vulnerable Zones will need to have slurry storage capacity for at least six months’ production for pig slurry and poultry manure, and for at least five months' production of other slurries.
The remaining parts of the 2008 NVZ regulations come into force next month and also include a ban on high-trajectory slurry spreading above 4m.
Farmers in NVZs also need to abide by the restrictions already in force, including:
- Closed periods for spreading organic manures and manufactured nitrogen fertilisers
- Detailed record-keeping of applications
- Ensuring that annual manure applications remain below 250kg N/ha for each field
- Ensuring that farm livestock manure limits are below 170kg N/ha and do not exceed crop requirements for available nitrogen.
Rebecca Wells, co-ordinator for the industry nutrient management campaign Tried & Tested, said it was important that farmers were aware of and fully prepared for these changes.
She added: “Failure to comply with any of the regulations could result in the loss of a proportion of the SPS and more recent agri-environment scheme payments. Continued failure to comply could result in criminal prosecution.
“However, we are hopeful that where work is being delayed due to factors such as planning permission, contractor availability or tenancy issues a flexible approach will be taken.
“My advice to anyone in this situation would be to seek professional guidance and contact the Environment Agency to discuss options.”
The Tried & Tested publications ‘Think Manures’ and the ‘New to Nutrient Management Guide’ can help farmers better understand how to optimise the valuable nutrients in manure and slurries. Click here to visit the site.
Farmers in NVZs with 80 per cent grassland are also being reminded of the option to apply for derogation from strict nitrogen limits by December 31 2011. Find out more here.
In addition, from January 1 2012 a new GAEC standard, GAEC 19, comes into force in non-NVZ areas, covering measures to protect water from pollution by fertilisers and manures. More information is available here.
- You can check if they are in an NVZ here.
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