30 January 2009

By Alan Galbraith, Countryside Management Branch, DARD

The closed period for spreading chemical and organic fertilisers ends on 31 January 2009.  

Farmers must now ensure that from the 1 February until the 14 September for chemical fertiliser, and from the 1 February until the 14 October 2009 for any organic fertiliser, that this is applied only when soil conditions are favourable. This would prevent applications during times when soil is waterlogged, flooded or likely to flood, frozen, snow covered, if heavy rain is forecast or on steeply sloping land where a significant risk of water pollution exists.

Chemical fertilisers must not be applied within 1.5m of any waterway. In comparison organic manures, including dirty water, must not be applied within 10m of a waterway other than lakes. This distance may be reduced to 3m where the slope is less than 10% towards the waterway and where organic manures are spread by tankers other than splash plate tankers, for example trailing shoe. For organic manures, this distance can also be reduced to 3m in areas less than 1 hectare in size or not more than 50m in width provided the slope is again less than 10% towards the waterway. Do not apply organic fertilisers within 20m of lakes, 50m of a borehole, spring or well and 15m for limestone features. Sludgigators must not be used.

To help farmers gain a fuller knowledge and understanding of the Nitrates Regulations, CAFRE is planning workshops on this topic covering closed periods for slurry spreading, controls on chemical fertiliser use, the stocking rate limit and record keeping.

To book a place on a workshop please call Greenmount Campus at 028 9442 6879.

Notes to Editors

All media enquiries to DARD Press Office, tel: 028 9052 4619.