Welsh farmers welcome plan to allow higher manure applications

Livestock farmers in Wales will be able to continue spreading organic manures on land at the higher rate of 250kg/ha of nitrogen a year until 2025 – where there is a crop need and subject to certain extra environmental protection conditions.

The announcement follows a consultation, which had also proposed a new licensing scheme for farmers who needed to operate above the basic 170kg/ha annual holding nitrogen limit in Wales.

But in a further move, designed to keep things simple, rural affairs minister Lesley Griffiths has scrapped the idea of a licence and is instead introducing an “enhanced nutrient management approach” to cover the period from 1 January to 31 December 2024.

See also: Welsh milk production threatened by planned nitrogen limits

Under this approach, farmers needing to apply more than 170kg/ha nitrogen from livestock manures must notify Natural Resources Wales by 31 March 2024, and “undertake additional actions, to minimise the risks associated with the additional application of manures to land”.

The Welsh government is also delaying to the implementation of the basic 170kg/ha annual holding nitrogen limit until 1 January 2024. It was previously expected to kick in this November.

“These new steps represent further action towards our shared aim to significantly reduce pollution from agriculture, demonstrating our continued commitment to do so in partnership with the farming community to achieve lasting results,” said Ms Griffiths.

Reaction

The announcement has been welcomed by farm leaders, who say it will lessen the impact of the Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations on Welsh food production.

NFU Cymru president Aled Jones said the union had always been concerned that a straight 170kg/ha nitrogen limit would have acted as a “de facto” stocking limit on Welsh farms.

“The evidence shows that an increase to a 250kg/ha annual holding nitrogen limit can be justified and will not damage the environment,” he said, though he called for a longer-term approach that would extend this provision beyond 2024.

Farmers’ Union of Wales president Ian Rickman said he welcomed the simpler approach “which avoids a bureaucratic application process”, but called on the Welsh government “to provide clear guidance as soon as possible, setting out further actions farmers will have to undertake and what evidence they will be expected to provide”.