Most farmers in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) are familiar with the main rules that they must follow but there are some pitfalls that occasionally catch people out.
If you routinely apply bagged fertiliser at the full NMax rate, remember that any additional applications of organic inputs to the same crop (e.g. slurry, farmyard manure, digestates, sewage sludge and distillery waste) could take you over the limit. In addition, if a field contained crops such as grass, fodder crops, potatoes or legumes in the previous year, residual Nitrogen from these will reduce the NMax for the current crop compared with the same crop following cereals. If either of these situations apply, you will need to ensure that bagged fertiliser applications are reduced accordingly.
If you apply organic manures to the same field year after year, remember that the 250kgN/ha limit for organic manures applies to any 12-month period. Unless you can guarantee that the next application will be on the same date or later the following year, it is safer to never apply more than half of the annual limit
Another rule that is sometimes forgotten is that field middens for solid farmyard manure can’t remain in the same place for more than 12 months and must not return to the same location until at least 24 months have passed.
To read our full publication on a refresher of NVZ rules, please visit:
www.fas.scot/publication/nvz-rules-refresher/
Related FAS Resources
Can I cut back on Nitrogen? | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Organics Discussion Group from the Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
*This article contains sponsored content and does not necessarily represent the views of The Scottish Farmer.
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