CROSS COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS - NITRATE VULNERABLE ZONES (NVZs)
NVZ’s requirements are now part of the Cross Compliance requirements for the Single Payments Scheme (SPS).
· It has always been a requirement of the NVZ Action Programme that you keep records of nitrogen fertiliser and manure applications.
Example records required for manure application.
· Field identification
· Crop
· Date sown
· Date of fertiliser/manure application and area applied over
· Quantity of nitrogen fertiliser applied – kg/ha or units/acre N.
· Organic manure application e.g. – 8t/ha broiler manure.
· Was the manure injected or incorporated after application.
CROSS COMPLIANCE
Soil Management Plan – From 2006 each farm must have a written Soil Management Plan (SMP) to protect against soil erosion, waterlogged soils and maintaining soil organic matter. We are still awaiting guidelines from DEFRA on what detail they require in the SMP’s.
Soil management plans will be required as of January 2006; however, implementation of their recommendations will not be required until 2007.
(Please refer to the Cross Compliance guidelines produced by DEFRA for more detailed guidance)
In readiness for this requirement, we would recommend that you address the development of the plan now. This will allow time to seek external help if it is required, rather than trying to obtain guidance when the deadline is due.
DFRS would be more than happy to help with any queries that you might have. You can contact us either by telephone or email by clicking on the ‘contact us’ page.
