*UPDATE*
The Environment Agency are now accepting applications for Grassland Derogations but with no extension to the application deadline, which remains as 31st December 2020.
The application window for the derogations, which allows farmers to use a higher limit of up to 250kg of nitrogen per hectare for nitrogen from grazing livestock manure, is usually open for applications between 1st October and 31st December.
The EA’s former stance of not accepting applications for the derogation left many farmer’s in the lurch so this will be welcome news to many.
We have contacted all of our clients who we usually submit the derogations for, but if you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.
We are aware that many of the RegAware Team members will be finishing for Christmas on 24th December until New Year, so if you have failed to speak to someone at the EA before this date, you are urged to email your application in to REGAWARE@environment-agency.gov.uk before 31st December 2020.
Former Statement from the RegAware Team at the EA
“The Government is considering whether a derogation can be offered to farmers in 2021.
It may be the case that farmers will not be able to make use of the derogation to use a higher limit of up to 250kg of nitrogen per hectare per year .’
As yet, we haven’t yet been instructed to accept applications, but we will keep you updated when we have further information.”
Statement from NRW Representative – at this time NRW are still not accepting grassland derogation applications for 2021
“The Welsh government did not ask for a derogation in 2020 and it is not expected that they will for 2021 either. As a result, I am afraid that the derogation is not available to Welsh farmers at the moment.”
It is worth remembering that 2021 NVZ calculations do not have to be signed off until April 2022, giving time to consider alternatives.
Worried about how this will affect your farm?
Call our office or message us by using our contact page and we can discuss alternatives for your farm.
