Presentation to the Nitrates Committee of the European Commission, 28 October 2008 Request from Britain for a derogation to the livestock manure limit of 170 kg N/ha per year Maureen Nowak, Defra (Head of Nitrates team) Brian Chambers, Soil Scientist, ADAS Peter Dampney, Soil Scientist, ADAS

Derogation request for Britain – part of the UK Scotland England Presentation topics Land use and farming Water quality Derogation request Scientific case for the derogation Wales

Britain has many and varied natural landscapes Total land area = 22.9 million ha Agricultural area = 16.4 million ha (72% of land area) Many protected areas 14 National Parks 4,000 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) (7% of land area) Agricultural production on a wide range of soil types

Agricultural land use There are 11.2 million ha of farmed land (49% of the total land area) plus 5.2 million ha of extensively managed grassland in the uplands

Livestock farming Livestock numbers are reducing ‘000 head (2007) Change 1996-2007 Cattle 11,732 - 12% Sheep 43,127 - 21% Pigs 7,936 - 39% Poultry 95,290 + 2% Cattle and sheep mainly in the West (grassland) Pigs and poultry mainly in the East (arable)

Chemical fertiliser use Use is decreasing …… and farm output is stable or increasing a result of improved efficiency of fertiliser use by farmers Average rate on crops and managed grassland 105 kg N/ha 10 kg P/ha Since 1985 …….. 27% less chemical N …….. 43% less chemical P

Average nitrate concentrations in surface waters Agriculture contributes to all waters England & Wales 60% Scotland 74% Network of 7,407 monitoring sites in Britain England 54% sites <25 mg/l nitrate 9% sites >50 mg/l nitrate Scotland 93% sites <25 mg/l nitrate 0% sites >50 mg/l nitrate Wales 97% sites <25 mg/l nitrate Highest concentrations are in the East of Britain low rainfall, arable farming

Changes in nitrate concentrations in surface waters (England) Most monitoring sites have nitrate concentrations that are stable or on a downward trend The revised Nitrates Regulations 2008 will result in further decreases

Average nitrate concentrations in groundwaters Most aquifers are deep, in chalk, limestone or sandstone Network of 2,976 monitoring sites in Britain England 53% sites <25 mg/l nitrate 22% sites >50 mg/l nitrate Scotland 74% sites <25 mg/l nitrate 9% sites >50 mg/l nitrate Wales 84% sites <25 mg/l nitrate 5% sites >50 mg/l nitrate Most nitrate concentrations are stable or decreasing

Phosphorus in surface waters Highest soluble P concentrations come from densely populated areas Contribution from agriculture is small but important in rural areas England 20% Scotland 52% Wales 57% Mainly winter losses and tackled by the revised Nitrates Regulations 2008 closed periods during winter months

Chemical and biological water quality Most waters have Good or Very Good chemical and biological quality England 76% (chemical) 72% (biological) Scotland 87% (chemical) 89% (biological) Wales 95% (chemical) 87% (biological) Wales Scotland England Scotland Wales England

Action to tackle water pollution Government action Key policy objective to protect the environment water, soil, air, bio-diversity Mix of advice, incentives and regulation agri-environment schemes decision support tools (e.g. PLANET software) nutrients advice programme Major nutrient management research programme – organic manures Industry and farmer action Fertiliser Advisers Certification and Training Scheme (FACTS) accreditation of nutrient management advisers Professional Nutrient Management Initiative practical help to farmers Farm Assurance schemes Environment Plans co-ordinated initiatives (e.g. Environmental Plan for Dairy Farmers)

Implementing the Nitrates Directive – addressing our nitrates problem Detailed review of previous Nitrates Action Programme Water quality Farm practices Revised Nitrates Regulations 2008 have been passed into law in England, Scotland and Wales based on sound science implemented on 1st January 2009 Designated areas are:- England: 68% of land (was 55%) Scotland: 14% Wales: 4% Tackling the nitrates problem where it occurs

The revised Nitrates Regulations measures (from 1st January 2009) Limit of 170 kg N/ha of livestock manure N based on legally binding nitrogen production standards up to 115 kg N/year for dairy cows (depending on milk yield) Closed spreading periods for organic manures with a high readily available N content slurries and poultry manures applies to all soil types 3 to 5 months depending on cropping and soil type Minimum storage requirements for slurry and poultry manures 6 months for pig slurry and poultry manures 5 months for other slurries

The revised Nitrates Regulations measures (from 1st January 2009) Nitrogen planning Crop nitrogen requirement limits e.g. 300 kg N/ha for grassland Minimum manure N efficiency coefficients Cattle slurry 35% Pig slurry 45% Poultry manure 30% Farm spreading risk map and spreading rules no application if unsuitable site or soil/weather conditions low emission spreading techniques Detailed record keeping annual farm and field records

The derogation request Request is only for farms with grazing livestock not pig or poultry farms Only dairy farms are likely to seek a derogation mostly located in the West where high grass yields achieved

Dairy farming in Britain Since 1995 50% fewer dairy farms 25% fewer dairy cows milk production around 14 billion litres now below quota Grass based systems dominate 100 cow herd size on average up to 10 month grazing season 65% of nutrition comes from efficient use of grass Markets for milk 50% as liquid milk net exports = 4% of production Dairy farms are located where high yields of grass are achieved

Details of the request Annual application by each farm Restricted to farms with at least 80% as grassland Limit of 250 kg/ha of nitrogen produced by grazing livestock per year Additional mandatory conditions will provide stricter controls on N and P losses than the Nitrates Regulations Monitoring and enforcement The derogation will not conflict with the objectives of the Nitrates Directive to reduce water pollution from agricultural sources

Justification for the derogation Justification is based on objective sources of scientific and other information High net precipitation Long growing season Crops with high nitrogen uptake (Annex III/2b, Council Directive 91/676/EEC) plus additional reasons

High net precipitation 700 to over 1200 mm annual rainfall in grassland areas Grassland areas have high annual and summer rainfall deep moisture retentive soils potential for high yields and nitrogen uptake

Long growing season In West Britain, grass grows for most of the year (over 275 days) ….. ….. and over 250 days in most other grass growing areas Most soils are deep moisture retentive loams well suited to high crop yields

High crop nitrogen uptake Typically over 12 t/ha dry matter (DM) from perennial ryegrass higher yields if reseeds with new varieties Equivalent to over 300 kg N/ha uptake Reseeds with new varieties Annual yield (t/ha DM) Cutting Grazing Perennial ryegrass 14.6 10.9 Italian ryegrass 16.0 - Variety improvements since 1996 5% higher yields 2% higher digestibility 10% increase in animal output Source: National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB)

Options for dairy farmers To reduce N loading in order to comply with the 170N limit Purchase or rent additional land not available in several dairying areas Export livestock manures shortage of suitable land in many areas high N loading, unsuitable for spreading bio-security risk Reduce livestock numbers milk output from remaining livestock will be increased Leave dairy farming possible conversion of grassland to arable

Impact of the derogated limit of 250 kg N/ha Research and modelling has shown that the derogated limit will result in an overall increase of less than 0.1% of the total nitrate lost from agricultural land (Defra, 2007) Conclusion based on the combined use of several environmental modelling tools N-CYCLE. Estimates nitrogen balances under grass (Scholefield et al., 1991) NEAP-N (National Environment and Agricultural Pollution - Nitrate). Predicts soil drainage, total nitrate load and nitrate concentrations in drainage water (Silgram et al., 2001) MAGPIE (Modelling Agricultural Pollutants and Interactions with the Environment). Spatial modelling of diffuse agricultural pollutants at catchment, regional and national scales (Lord and Anthony, 2000)

Avoid ploughing up of grassland Dairy farm numbers are decreasing long term economic pressures new Regulations Many dairy farms also grow arable crops 18% land is not grass expertise, suitable land and equipment is available Dairy farmers leaving the industry ploughed out grassland will increase pollution nitrate phosphorus sediment soil carbon

Nitrogen losses from ploughed up grassland 4,000 kg N/ha lost from soil organic matter decomposition 50% in the first 5 to 6 years Source:- Whitmore et al, Rothamsted Research (2003)

Higher P surplus from increased concentrates in diet Herd size 100 cows Milk yield 6,900 litres/cow Concentrates 1,900 kg/cow Chemical fertiliser N 128 kg N/ha Chemical fertiliser P 9 kg P/ha Un-derogated farms will have fewer cows increase concentrate use per cow (to increase milk output per cow) Increasing concentrate use will increase the P surplus by 6 to 8 kg P per cow and the risk of P losses to water

Estimated number of derogated farms 3,581 farms have a livestock manure N loading over 170 kg/ha Potential for derogation 2,509 farms (1.7%) 149,000 ha (2.1%) Expected for derogation 1,944 farms (1.3%) 106,000 ha (1.5%) 40%

Additional mandatory measures on derogated farms No livestock manures with high readily available N to be applied in the autumn before cultivation of grass High nitrogen requirement crop after ploughing out grassland Plough grassland on sandy soils in the spring No legumes in rotation except grass/clover or undersown Annual fertilisation plan for P (and N) Soil analysis for P every 4 years using a standard methodology Record keeping These additional measures are expected to result in further reductions in losses of N and P to water

Monitoring and enforcement Annual checks on derogated farms by the competent authority Annual report summarising data and location of derogated farms Monitoring effects of the derogation will be essential A programme will be introduced to measure the environmental impact of the derogation including monitored farms field and mini-catchment measurements of water quality

Thank you