Farmers given 28 days to lodge NVZ appeals
Farmers in new areas proposed as nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZs) have been given less than a month to lodge any appeals against the designation.
As part of DEFRA’s four-yearly review of NVZ designations, farmers have 28 days to appeal designations from Tuesday (28 August).
This also applies to farmers in existing NVZs, and follows DEFRA’s dispatch of formal notifications to all farmers in areas it proposes to designate with effect from 1st January 2013.
The revised designations cover about 59% of England, compared to 69% at the same stage in the last review four years ago.
This reflects generally falling nitrate levels in rivers, a trend which goes back to 2000, before NVZs were designated in many areas.
Meanwhile, the NFU has warned that unnecessary changes to the NVZ Action Programme will pile further pressure on the struggling dairy industry and make it difficult to utilise slurry effectively.
A two-week extension of the closed period for spreading slurry and poultry manure will “increase the severity and costliness of the programme”, the NFU said.
“The additional costs of damage to crops or to soil structure will also make it more difficult for struggling dairy farmers to keep their heads above water.”
Meurig Raymond, NFU
NFU deputy president Meurig Raymond explained: “DEFRA’s consultation offered the choice between longer closed periods and a reduced maximum application in the weeks after the closed period ends.
“From a practical perspective shorter closed periods and better practice when spreading is a far easier pill to swallow. But it is galling to see that Irish closed periods and slurry storage are already less demanding than those in England, despite the wetter climate of Ireland.”
He added: “Our members will find it more difficult to utilise slurry effectively without causing crop or soil damage as the government continues to shrink the window when application is practical.
“The additional costs of damage to crops or to soil structure will also make it more difficult for struggling dairy farmers to keep their heads above water.”
More information
Details of the proposed areas of NVZ designations are available on the Environment Agency website
For information on NVZ appeals visit DEFRA’s website