FAQs for farming rules for water statutory guidance update

A nutrient management plan should be recorded in hard copy or electronic form so that it can be reviewed and updated easily. The nutrient management plan should be informed by either our Nutrient Management Guide (RB209), a recognised farm nutrient management tool or a suitably qualified professional (e.g. FACTS adviser).  

Read our guidance on principles, objectives and what to record in a nutrient management plan.

A plan should cover all sources of nutrients (soil, organic manures, manufactured fertilisers and biological nitrogen fixation). Refer to the nutrient management planning guide (RB209), nutrient management planning tools such as MANNER-NPK or a FACTS qualified adviser to establish crop nutrient requirements for all fields.

Record at a field level the date and rate of applications and include any mitigations which would reduce the risk of diffuse pollution.

Find out more about the farm and field details to include.

Regulation 5 of the FRfW states that when planning an application to agricultural land, a land manager must ensure that the results of soil sampling and analysis are taken into account.

The results must include the pH of the soil and the levels of phosphorus, magnesium and potassium present and must be no more than five years old at the time of the application.

Nitrogen levels may be determined by assessment of the soil nitrogen supply; this can be done by the field assessment method or by the measurement method.

See the Nutrient Management Guide (RB209) for more information.

Nutrient management planning tools, such as MANNER-NPK and Tried & Tested or other commercial tools, are readily available. Alternatively, consult a FACTS qualified adviser.

See our guidance on soil testing.

For nutrient management planning, it is important to know the nutrient content of manures applied to land. The Nutrient Management Guide (RB209) gives typical values for the different manure types based on the analysis of samples from a wide range of resources.

However, the nutrient content of livestock manures is likely to vary significantly, depending on sampling, the source and management of the material, therefore it is worthwhile having the nutrient content of representative manure samples determined by analysis.

Content of organic manure can be identified using available and suitable nutrient management tools (e.g. MANNER-NPK) or manure testing, such as laboratory analysis or near infra-red sensors for liquid manures. Laboratory analyses should include dry matter (DM), organic matter, total nitrogen (N), total phosphate (P₂O₅), total potash (K₂O), total sulphur (SO₃), total magnesium (MgO) and ammonium-N (NH₄-N).

You should be able to demonstrate that applications have been planned in accordance with the FRfW. This includes, for example, a nutrient management plan or other written plan demonstrating that the applications do not exceed the needs of the crop or soil.

It is permissible to apply manures in the autumn, provided the applications are documented within a nutrient management plan. In creating a nutrient management plan, you should:

• Check that you do not apply more manure than your soil or crops need, at the time of application
• Assess the pollution risks so you do not create a significant risk of pollution
• Take into account the weather forecasts and conditions at the time you want to apply it

All applications should be supported by evidence of crop or soil need and agreed by a suitably qualified adviser (e.g. FACTS qualified).

Consider the readily available nitrogen (RAN) content of your manure (as the risks of diffuse pollution can vary), the soil type of the receiving land (applications of organic manures to sandy and shallow soils can pose a greater risk of nitrate leaching) and whether all appropriate reasonable precautions are being taken to help mitigate against the risk of diffuse pollution.

The FRfW outlines certain situations where applications of organic or inorganic fertilisers are not permitted (e.g. on waterlogged, flooded or snow-covered soil) or within certain distances of features.

See the full FrfW guidance for more information.

Slurry should be stored in a tank or lagoon which meets the SSAFO regulations.

Solid manures (FYM) should be stored in a building or in a yard with suitable effluent collection. FYM can also be stored in field heaps, but you must take into account risk factors for run-off when deciding where to store it.

You must also meet certain criteria, avoid areas liable to flooding and situate them not within 10 metres of surface water or land drains, or 30 metres if the land slopes more than 12 degrees. Additionally, a 50-metre buffer is required from springs, wells or boreholes.

FYM heaps must be moved at least every 12 months, with a two-year gap before returning to the same site.

Only apply nutrients at a rate and time which doesn’t exceed the soil and crop requirements. Maintain a crop cover to reduce soil erosion. Consider buffer strips adjacent to watercourses.

You should plan to have established green cover by 15 October as a reasonable precaution to help prevent agricultural diffuse pollution. Green cover means any commercial crop, green manure or cover crop.

If you are not planning for green cover to be established on land by 15 October or are planning on leaving the land bare over winter, you must demonstrate appropriate justifications.

These can be agronomic or environmental reasons, such as delaying drilling to enable activities to control persistent weeds, such as blackgrass, or leaving medium and heavy soils to weather before a spring root crop.

Avoid driving on, or grazing, land during periods of wet weather. Maintain or build up good soil organic matter levels (e.g. applying organic manures) to improve soil structure and resilience against compaction.

Do regular soil monitoring, including assessing compaction levels; if compaction is confirmed, use mechanical operations to loosen the compacted layer.

Find out more about soil management.

Applications should be avoided when the soil is waterlogged or at risk of flooding. Try to plan applications at a time when the risk of wet weather is reduced.

It is important to have adequate storage for your organic manures through winter without the need to spread and have a robust back-up plan in place for if it is required.

In some circumstances, autumn applications could be justified on the basis that it would be unsuitable to plan a spring application in inappropriate soil conditions.

Seek advice from a suitably qualified professional (e.g. FACTS adviser) to determine management of applying organic manures/nutrients for your system/soil type and how to minimise nutrient losses from autumn applications.

Minimum slurry storage capacity requirements are set out in the Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZ) rules and in Storing silage, slurry and agricultural fuel oil (SSAFO) regulations.

However, livestock farmers should have sufficient storage capacity to enable them to meet the requirements of the FRfW.

Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) advisers can visit farms and provide advice on how to best utilise grants, e.g. capital grants including slurry store covers, roofing and drainage systems.

Always plan manure applications as part of a nutrient management plan. Ensure that applications follow best practice by supplying nutrients for soil and crop need and adopting reasonable precautions to minimise the risk of diffuse pollution.

For example, consider the readily available nitrogen (RAN) content of your manure (as the risks of diffuse pollution can vary), the soil type of the receiving land (applications of organic manures to sandy and shallow soils can pose a greater risk of nitrate leaching), the likely weather immediately following application and the risk of damaging the soil by compaction.