With a view to next season’s planting, the RPA is highlighting new cross compliance regulations to protect water from pollution by fertilisers and manures.
The rules come into effect in January 2012. They mean:
- Inorganic fertiliser must not be applied within two metres of surface waters.
- Organic manure must not be applied within ten metres of surface waters, except on land managed for breeding wader birds, or as species rich semi-natural grassland and under certain other restrictions.
- Organic manure must also not be applied within 50 metres of a spring, well or borehole.
- If farmers do apply organic manure, they will be asked to keep a map of all surface waters on the holding and land within 10 metres of them; all springs, wells and boreholes on the holding, and within 50 metres of the boundary of the holding, and land within 50 metres of them.
Russell Graham, of RPA’s cross compliance unit, said: “We have had to introduce this new Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) as it was part of the CAP Health Check. The GAEC is based on existing rules included in the nitrate regulations, therefore farmers who are meeting the Statutory Management Requirement (SMR) 4 Nitrate Vulnerable Zone requirements will already be meeting the new regulations.”
For further guidance call the RPA’s Cross Compliance Technical Helpline on 0845 3451302 or click here.
- richard scot - 14/07/2011
Please remember when in discussions that the application of liquid fertlisers are a lot more accurate than spreading solid ferts and should be treated differently when applied adjacent to water courses