Closed Period Dates - Wales
Important update – temporary changes for 2026
Following the prolonged dry weather, the Welsh Government has announced a one-off change to the closed period for slurry and manure spreading in autumn 2026.
For soils other than sandy or shallow soils, the final spreading date has been extended from 15th October to 15 November 2026. An additional spreading window will also apply on sandy or shallow soils from 15th October to 15th November 2026.
During this extended period:
- a maximum of 30m³ of slurry per hectare can be spread at any one time
- there must be at least three weeks between applications
- poultry manure is excluded from the temporary change.
The usual requirements around protecting water quality and avoiding pollution continue to apply. The closed period for manufactured nitrogen fertiliser is unchanged.
The standard closed-period dates shown below remain the usual requirements. These temporary changes apply to the 2026 spreading period only.
Closed periods in Wales
On the 1st of August 2024, 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.
| 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 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 31st 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.
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.