Written by: Caitie Pritchard, Senior Technical Manager at CXCS
With harvest underway and autumn cropping plans taking shape, many farmers will also be considering manure and slurry applications, particularly while ground and weather conditions remain suitable and ahead of the wetter winter months.
Manure and slurry are valuable sources of nutrients, but deciding when and where to spread involves more than ground conditions alone. Crop and soil requirements, pollution risk, storage capacity and the regulations all need to be considered.
Getting the timing right can help make better use of the nutrients available while reducing the risk of losses to the environment.
As winter approaches, it is also important to think ahead about storage capacity and whether there will be sufficient space to retain slurry when spreading conditions are unsuitable or restrictions apply.
With requirements differing between England and Wales, Caitie Pritchard, Senior Technical Manager at CXCS, looks at some of the key points farmers should consider before spreading this autumn.
England
Farming Rules for Water apply to everyone
The Farming Rules for Water (FRfW) apply to all farmers and land managers in England, whether or not their land is within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ).
Before applying organic manure or manufactured fertiliser, you must plan the application and:
- make sure you do not apply more nutrients than the soil and crop need at the time of application
- assess the risk of pollution
- take account of weather conditions and forecasts.
For cultivated agricultural land, nutrient planning must also take account of soil test results. Tests must be no more than five years old and cover pH, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium, together with nitrogen or an assessment of Soil Nitrogen Supply.
Nutrient requirements can be assessed using recognised guidance and tools such as RB209, nutrient management software or advice from a suitably qualified adviser.
Think carefully about autumn applications
This becomes particularly important when applying manure in autumn ahead of a spring crop.
The fact that a field will be cropped the following spring does not, on its own, demonstrate a nutrient requirement at the time of an autumn application.
Consideration should be given to the nutrients within the manure – particularly readily available nitrogen – when the receiving crop will need them, the soil type and the risk of nutrients being lost through leaching or runoff.
There may be situations where an autumn application can be justified on agronomic grounds, but this will depend on the individual crop, soil, manure and field circumstances.
The important point is that you should be able to demonstrate the reasoning behind the application through your nutrient planning and records.
What about green cover?
The Environment Agency’s current enforcement guidance says land managers should plan to have established green cover by 15th October as a reasonable precaution to help prevent diffuse pollution following nutrient applications.
Green cover can include a commercial crop, green manure or cover crop.
This does not mean that every field must be green by 15th October. The guidance recognises that there can be valid agronomic or environmental reasons for leaving land bare over winter. Examples given by the Environment Agency include delaying drilling to control persistent weeds such as blackgrass and allowing medium and heavy soils to weather ahead of a spring root crop.
Where this is the case, farmers should be able to demonstrate an appropriate justification.
Remote inspections are increasing
The Environment Agency is increasingly using remote sensing, satellite and drone imagery and mapping tools alongside traditional farm inspections to help identify land-management and pollution risks.
Remote sensing can be used to assess changes in the landscape and identify potential areas of concern, helping the Environment Agency target its inspection activity.
Good nutrient planning and record keeping are therefore particularly important, especially where an autumn nutrient application has been made and land will subsequently remain bare.
If you’re in a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone, additional rules apply
If any of your land is within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ), you must comply with the NVZ rules as well as the Farming Rules for Water.
These include closed periods when organic manures with high readily available nitrogen – including slurry, poultry manure and some other liquid organic manures – must not be spread.
| Land | Sandy or shallow soils | All other soils |
| Grassland | 1st September – 31st December | 15th October – 31st January |
| Tillage land | 1st August – 31st December | 1st October – 31st January |
Further restrictions apply to applications following the end of the closed period, and there are specific exceptions within the NVZ rules, so the full requirements should always be checked before spreading.
If you are unsure whether your land is affected, the current 2025–2028 NVZ designations can be checked using Defra’s online mapping service.
Wales
Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations
In Wales, farmers must comply with the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021, commonly referred to as the CoAP Regulations.
These apply across Wales and contain detailed requirements covering nutrient planning, spreading, storage and record keeping.
Before spreading nitrogen fertiliser, factors including slope, ground cover, proximity to surface water, weather conditions, soil type and the presence of land drains need to be considered.
Farms spreading organic manure must also produce and maintain a Risk Map of the holding.
Closed periods in Wales
There are closed periods during which organic manures with high readily available nitrogen, including slurry and poultry manure, must not be spread.
| Land | Sandy or shallow soils | All other soils |
| Grassland | 1st September – 31st December | 15th October – 15th January |
| Tillage land | 1st August – 31st December | 1st October – 31st January |
Following the closed period and until the end of February, additional restrictions apply to the amount that can be spread at any one time and the interval between applications.
If organic manure is applied to bare soil or stubble, it must generally be incorporated into the soil as soon as possible and within 24 hours, although exemptions apply in certain circumstances.
Don’t forget storage
Planning for winter storage is an important part of manure and slurry management in both England and Wales.
The requirements for the construction and storage of slurry, silage and agricultural fuel oil must be considered alongside the relevant nutrient management and pollution prevention regulations.
In England, farms producing slurry will normally need capacity for at least four months’ slurry storage under the Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil (SSAFO) Regulations.
If your farm is within an NVZ, additional storage requirements apply. You must provide sufficient capacity to store:
- five months’ slurry production for cattle, sheep, goats, deer and horses
- six months’ slurry production for pigs and poultry.
In Wales, the requirements of the CoAP Regulations operate alongside the requirements governing the construction and management of slurry and silage storage systems. Farms producing slurry must provide sufficient storage for:
- five months’ slurry production for cattle, sheep, goats, deer and horses
- six months’ slurry production for pigs and poultry.
Having sufficient storage capacity gives farmers greater flexibility to retain slurry when crops do not need the nutrients or when soil, weather or regulatory restrictions mean spreading would be inappropriate.
Before you spread
Wherever you farm, it is worth asking:
- Does the soil or crop need the nutrients now?
- Have you accounted for the nutrient content and readily available nitrogen in the manure?
- Are soil and ground conditions suitable?
- What is the weather forecast?
- Is there a risk of runoff, leaching or pollution through land drains?
- Do any closed periods or additional restrictions apply?
- Are your nutrient plans, soil analysis and other records up to date?
- Could you demonstrate why the application was appropriate if asked?
Make the most of your nutrients
Slurry and manure are valuable sources of nitrogen, phosphate, potash and other nutrients. Applying them when crops are able to make effective use of those nutrients can help reduce losses to the environment and make the most of their fertiliser value.
Planning ahead is particularly important as winter approaches. Storage capacity, cropping plans, ground and weather conditions and the relevant regulations all need to be considered together.
A little planning before spreading can therefore help both agronomically and from a compliance point of view.
If you’re unsure about the requirements affecting your farm, or would like support with nutrient management planning, manure management, Risk Maps, soil analysis or agricultural compliance records, our Agricultural Compliance team is here to help.
Please get in touch on 01981 590514 or email info@cxcs.co.uk to speak to our team.
You can also find out more about our Agricultural Compliance service on our website.