Farming Rules for Water

From the 2^nd April 2018, farmers in England need to meet the farming rules for water in order to protect water quality.

There are 8 new rules for water which now apply in England:

1. Planning the use of manures and fertilisers

Planning must consider where there is significant risk of pollution. Testing for Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium and pH must be done at least every 5 years. Nitrogen levels can be determined by reference tales when planning applications.

Things to consider when assessing if there is significant risk of pollution:

• Slopes, ground covers, proximity to rivers, stream and coastal waters, proximity to wetlands, weather conditions/forecasts, soil type and condition and the presence and condition of land drains.

2. Storing Organic manures

Organic manures must not be stored on land:

• within 10 metres of inland freshwaters or coastal waters
• where there is significant risk of pollution entering inland freshwaters or coastal waters
• within 50 metres of a spring, well or borehole

3. Applying manures or fertilisers

Organic manures or manufactured fertilisers must not be applied:

• if the soil is waterlogged, flooded, or snow covered
• if the soil has been frozen for more than 12 hours in the previous 24 hours
• if there is significant risk of causing pollution

4. Where NOT to apply organic manures

Organic manures must not be applied:

• within 10 metres of any inland freshwaters or coastal waters, or within 6 metres of inland freshwaters or coastal waters if precision equipment is used
• within 50 metres of a spring, well or borehole

5. Where NOT to apply fertiliser

Manufactured fertiliser must not be applied within 2 metres of inland freshwaters or coastal waters.

6. Reasonable precautions to prevent soil erosion

Take all reasonable precautions to prevent significant soil erosion and runoff from:

• the application of organic manure and manufactured fertiliser
• land management and cultivation practices (such as seedbeds, tramlines, rows, beds, stubbles (including harvested land with haulm), polytunnels and irrigation)
• poaching by livestock

7. Protecting against soil erosion by livestock

Any land within 5 metres of inland freshwaters and coastal waters must be protected from significant soil erosion by preventing poaching by livestock.

8. Position of livestock feeders

Livestock feeders must not be positioned:

• within 10 metres of any inland freshwaters or coastal waters
• within 50 metres of a spring, well or borehole
• where there is significant risk of pollution from poaching around the feeder entering any inland freshwaters or coastal waters

Some of these rules are already under cross compliance for NVZ requirements.