Kicker: EA giving farmers inadequate information
By Alex Black
DAIRY and pig farmers left in limbo by Environment Agency (EA) incompetence should be devising a manure and slurry storage and spreading plan for this Autumn.
Farmers have been urged to act now to avoid an impossible predicament later in the year in view of continuing inadequate information from the EA about the Farming Rules for Water (FRfW) regulations.
Charles Mayson, founder of Herefordshire-based agricultural compliance and farm safety specialists CXCS, said there were indications that Defra was intending to place the onus on farmers to adopt a risk-based approach to interpretation of the legislation.
Farmers were already facing huge challenges managing this winters manures, but with the exemption-giving regulatory position statement only valid to March 1 and a lack of clarity about what approach the EA will take next autumn and winter, farmers are urged to take action now.
The EA have given no clarity on what a risk-based approach is, but Mr Mayson advised farmers and landowners can still produce a plan for spreading manures by soil testing, reviewing storage options and considering exporting excess manures.
For anyone who has not had their soil tested in the last four years, it should be a priority, said Mr Mayson.
If you do not accurately measure your soils nutrients, you cannot manage them and it does not cost much to do.
Once you have this information, it is possible to come up with a plan for managing phosphate, potash and nitrogen levels so applications do not contravene the soil need decree in FRfW.
He added it was also worth re-examining storage options.
Exporting might be an option if you know you will be unable to spread because soils already have plenty of nutrients, but of course if you are in a predominantly dairying area, for example, you probably will not be able export to a neighbour who has precisely the same problem, he said.
He called the implementation of FRfW a farce.
Instead of supporting farmers with a proper education programme, Defra printed a few leaflets and thought they had done their job, he said.
Mr Mayson added current plans should be amended later on in light of further advise from the EA.
