Farming rules for water: New enforcement guidance

Defra has published revised guidance for the Environment Agency (EA) on enforcing rule one of the Farming Rules for Water, which places much greater emphasis on nutrient planning and justification. David Ball, an AHDB environment specialist, highlights the key points.

Updated by Defra on 18 June 2025, the Enforcing the Farming Rules for Water guidance provides the EA with criteria to help it assess if an enforcement action is required under the Farming Rules for Water.

The guidance includes clarifications associated with nutrient applications, with specific reference to organic manures. It is worth noting that the EA favours an advice-led approach and will only pursue enforcement action if non-compliance persists.

How to ensure compliance:

• Land managers should be able to demonstrate that they have planned applications of organic manure or manufactured fertiliser in accordance with the Farming Rules for Water. This includes, for example, a nutrient management plan or other written plan
• Plans should be proportionate to the needs of individual circumstances, informing decisions about applying organic manures and manufactured fertilisers

Assessment of the crop nutrient requirement should be informed by one of the following:

• A manual, such as AHDB’s Nutrient Management Guide (RB209)
• Farm software, such as PLANET, MANNER-NPK or Tried and Tested 
• A suitably qualified professional, such as a FACTS-qualified agronomist

Land managers must plan to avoid significant risk of agricultural diffuse pollution. This includes not exceeding the needs of the soil and crop on the land.

The needs of the crop and soil and the risk of diffuse pollution will depend on individual circumstances. The Environment Agency should take these into account when assessing plans.

Land managers must not plan to apply more nitrogen than the soil and crop need on that land. Plans should demonstrate that land managers are planning to avoid applying organic manures that raise the soil phosphorus index (soil P index) above target levels for soil and crop on land.

When assessing if planned spreading would give rise to a significant risk, the Environment Agency should consider the readily available nitrogen (RAN) content of different organic manures (the relative risks of diffuse pollution from applying organic manures of varying nutrient content can differ).

In all cases, land managers must demonstrate that they are planning to take all appropriate reasonable precautions to help mitigate against the risk of agricultural diffuse pollution.