1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. Livestock farming Livestock numbers are reducing ‘000 head (2007)
Change
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)

6. 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

7. Average nitrate concentrations in surface waters
Agriculture contributes to all waters
England & Wales 60%
Scotland %
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

8. 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

9. 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

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

11. 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

12. 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)

13. 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: %
Tackling the nitrates problem
where it occurs

14. 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

15. 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 %
Pig slurry %
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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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)

24. 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

25. 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)

26. 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

27. 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)

28. Higher P surplus from increased concentrates in diet
Herd size cows
Milk yield ,900 litres/cow
Concentrates ,900 kg/cow
Chemical fertiliser N kg N/ha
Chemical fertiliser P 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

29. 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%

30. 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

31. 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

32. Thank you