On the 1st of August, the final phase of ‘The Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021’ (CoAPR) legislation came into effect which introduced closed periods for spreading high readily available Nitrogen manures and storage capacity requirements for cattle slurry and other manures. A record keeping requirement to demonstrate sufficient capacity to store all slurry and manure produced during the storage period was also introduced.
Closed periods
The spreading of slurry (and other manures but not farmyard manure) with high readily available Nitrogen is prohibited during the following periods:
| Soil Type | Grassland | Tillage land |
| Sandy or shallow soil | 1st September – 31st December | 1st August – 31st December |
| All other soils | 15th October – 15th January | 1st October – 31st January |
Exemptions to the closed periods
Spreading organic manure with high readily available Nitrogen on tillage land with sandy or shallow soil is permitted between 1st August and 15th September inclusive, provided that the crop is sown on or before 15th September.
Exemptions to Organic Producers
Registered organic producers may spread organic manure with high readily available Nitrogen at any time on crops listed in the table below, or other crops in accordance with written justification from a person who is a member of FACTS, provided that each hectare on which organic manure is spread does not receive more than 150 kg total Nitrogen between the start of the closed period and the end of February.
| Crop | Maximum Nitrogen rate (kg/hectare) |
| Oilseed rape, winter (a) | 30 |
| Asparagus | 50 |
| Brassica (b) | 100 |
| Grass (a) (c) | 80 |
| Over-wintered salad onions | 40 |
| Parsley | 40 |
| Bulb onions | 40 |
a) Nitrogen must not be spread on these crops after 31 October.
b) An additional 50kg of Nitrogen per hectare may be spread every four weeks during the closed period up to the date of harvest.
c) A maximum of 40kg of Nitrogen per hectare may be spread at any one time.
Post closed period restrictions
From the end of the closed period until the end of February the maximum amount of slurry that may be spread at any one time is 30 cubic metres per hectare and the maximum amount of poultry manure that may be spread at any one time is 8 tonnes per hectare. There must be at least three weeks between each spreading.
Storage requirements
Sufficient storage must be provided for pigs and poultry manure produced on the holding between 1st October and 1st April (6 months), and for other manures produced in a yard or building on the holding, 1st October and 1st March (5 months) plus sufficient capacity to meet the spreading restrictions of the regulations.
The store must also have the capacity to store any rainfall, washings or other liquid which enters the vessel (either directly or indirectly) during the storage period.
Storage capacity for slurry
You must have sufficient storage capacity to appropriately store the slurry produced which cannot be spread during the closed period, this is known as the storage period and to meet the other spreading restrictions of the Regulations for your farming system. The store must also have sufficient capacity for all slurry produced and any rainwater or washings entering the store during the period. The required storage capacity must be calculated using the anticipated slurry produced by animals on the holding during the storage period and any additional water inputs, including rainwater run-off and washing water.
Storage facilities are not necessary for slurry or poultry manure sent off the holding or spread on land that has a low run-off risk (provided that this is done in accordance with the other measures on spreading). However, storage facilities for an additional one week’s manure must be provided as a contingency measure in the event of spreading not being possible on some dates. Separation of slurry into its solid and liquid fractions must either be carried out mechanically or on an impermeable surface. The liquid fraction after separation is defined as slurry and must be stored as required by these regulations.
Record keeping requirements
- For holdings with slurry storage systems – calculations to demonstrate there is sufficient capacity to store all slurry to be produced by animals during the storage period.
- For holdings with pigs, poultry or other housed animals with no slurry system – calculations to demonstrate sufficient storage of all manure produced during the storage period.
All records must be stored for a minimum of 5 years and must be made available for inspection if requested.
Further help & advice
Read the full guidance at: https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2023-10/water-resources-control-agricultural-pollution-wales-regulations-2021-guidance-farmers-and-land.pdf
As specialists in agricultural compliance, we are here to guide farmers through the legislation and provide the necessary paperwork to comply with these new requirements. For further help and advice, please contact our Agricultural Compliance team on 01981 590514.
