SSAFO stands for storing Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil.
The regulations originally came into force on 1st September 1991, as part of ‘The Control of Pollution (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) Regulations 1991’, but were later replaced by ‘The Water Resources (Control of Pollution) (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) Regulations 2010’ for England and in Wales by a 2021 revision of the same regulations. Both versions of the regulations provide the rules you need to follow if you control, manage or look after a farm or an installation on a property, for example as a:
- farmer or land manager
- tenant farmer – unless you can prove someone else, for example the leaseholder, is jointly or wholly responsible
Why are they important?
The regulations set standards for storing silage, slurries and agricultural fuel oil, so as to minimise the risk of water pollution. These substances have all caused significant pollution incidents, often due to farms having inadequate storage capacity, or storage being of poor quality. Silage effluent and livestock manures can also contribute to environmental pollution when they are spread to land outside the growing season, or in inappropriate weather conditions.
How does it fit into cross compliance?
The base of most Environment Agency and NRW farmyard inspections includes checking a farm’s installations against the SSAFO regulations, and it also comes into Rural Payment’s Agency inspections too.
Under current regulation, farms outside of an NVZ where slurry is produced, should have at least 4 months’ storage over the winter (if the installation was built after 1991). For farms inside an NVZ you must have 5 months’ slurry storage for cattle, sheep, goats, deer and horses and 6 months for pigs and poultry, which will cover the closed period for spreading manure with a high availability of nitrogen. In addition to storing the slurry you produce, you must provide storage for any rainfall, washings or other liquid that enters the store during the storage period.
Are there any exemptions?
Yes. If your installation was built before March 1991 or if you have evidence that a contract for construction was entered before March 1991 and completed by September 1991, you are exempt from the rules for new stores. However, if you make any substantial changes (structural, increasing capacity etc), you are no longer exempt.
Your local Environment Agency / NRW office can request for changes to be made should they deem the current installation to no longer be suitable or if there is a significant risk of pollution to controlled waters.
What if I want to repair or alter my silage pit/ slurry storage?
Before you make any changes to your existing installation (or build a new one) you should notify your local Environment Agency / NRW office at least 14 days before starting any work. In both England and Wales, you should also check with your local authority whether you need planning permission for any alterations and make sure you do not pollute the surrounding environment.
