Defra has confirmed that it does not intend to ban autumn manure spreading through the Farming Rules for Water (FRfW).
The Department has issued a statement on FRfW, as part of a wider set of steps, including moves to assist farmers with the availability of fertilisers for the coming growing season amid soaring costs for farmers. Further details of the Sustainable Farming Incentive have also been published today.
Farming Rules for Water
Defra has published statutory guidance to clarify how the Environment Agency should apply the FRfW when it comes to spreading of organic manures in autumn and winter. Farming stakeholders, including the NPA and NFU, have been engaged on the development of this guidance, after the farming industry sought clarity.
Defra said: “This will clarify that the Government does not intend to ban autumn manure spreading through the Farming Rules for Water.”
The proposed guidance clarifies the conditions when it is not appropriate for the EA to sanction farmers when they spread manure in the autumn and winter months, following confusion around the rules within the industry last year, and the steps that should be taken to minimise the risk of these activities.
Defra added that it will provide further support to farmers through new slurry storage grants launching later this year. These will make a significant contribution towards the costs of covered slurry store construction projects, to enable farmers to get to six months storage capacity.
Fertiliser availability
Defra Secretary George Eustice has announced that changes to the use of urea fertiliser will be delayed by at least a year to help farmers manage their costs and give them more time to adapt in the light of a global rise in gas prices, which is leading to pressures on the supply of ammonium nitrate fertilisers.
A consultation on restrictions was launched a year ago, in order to reduce ammonia pollution in the air. When restrictions are introduced, they will include the use of ammonia inhibitors rather than a complete ban.
A new Red Tractor standard will allow the use of untreated/unprotected urea fertilisers between 15 January and 31 March, and require treated/protected urea fertilisers throughout the rest of the year.
This will be implemented in April 2023 – effectively a postponement of one year. Once implemented, the effectiveness of the scheme will be monitored and regulation will be introduced if the scheme does not achieve the ammonia reductions needed. The decision will likely be made in 2025/26.
Defra is also launching the newly established fertiliser roundtable to look at the impact of reduced supply of fertiliser on UK farms and seek alternatives. Chaired by the Farming Minister Victoria Prentis, it will meet for the first time on Thursday April 1.
Sustainable Farming Incentive
Further details of the Sustainable Farming Incentive have also been published today. Given current fertiliser prices, the priority must be to pioneer new technologies to manufacture more organic-based fertiliser products, and rediscover techniques such as using nitrogen fixing legumes and clovers as an alternative to fertiliser, Defra said.
The SFI will help farmers move towards sustainable farming practices over time, such as building the health and fertility of their soil and reducing soil erosion.
The Government will pay farmers to help them with the costs of sowing nitrogen fixing plants and green manures in their crops or in advance of their crops to substitute some of their fertiliser requirements for the coming season and reduce their dependence on manufactured fertilisers linked to the price of gas.
Defra has confirmed the details of the SFI offer in 2022. This includes three standards, with different levels:
| Standard | Level | Total annual payment |
| Arable and horticultural soils | Introductory | £22 per hectare |
| Intermediate | £40 per hectare | |
| Improved grassland soils | Introductory | £28 per hectare |
| Intermediate | £58 per hectare | |
| Moorland | Introductory | £10.30 per hectare |
| Additional payment | £265 per agreement |
There is an additional annual payment of £6.15 per hectare for common land entered into its own SFI standards agreement.
There will also be an annual animal health and welfare review to provide funding to cover the cost of an annual review of an eligible farmer’s livestock by a vet chosen by them.
Farmers can apply for SFI from the summer onwards – there is no fixed application window.
Tenants on short-term rolling tenancy agreements can enter SFI, provided they expect to have management control for 3 years.
The online application system has been simplified to make it faster and easier for farmers to apply.
Mr Eustice, said: “The significant rise in the cost of fertiliser is a reminder that we need to reduce our dependence on manufacturing processes dependent on gas.
Many of the challenges we face in agriculture will require a fusion of new technology with conventional principles of good farm husbandry. The measures we have announced today are not the whole solution but will help farmers manage their nitrogen needs in the year ahead.”
Industry reaction
NFU President Minette Batters said: “Farmers are experiencing unprecedented costs when buying fertiliser, alongside tightening supplies, and it’s critical that government put in place measures to mitigate some of these effects.
“Many of the measures today, particularly around the industry-led regulation of urea, the updated guidance on the Farming Rules for Water, which will allow autumn manure spreading, and the extension of Defra’s Market Monitoring Group to understand trends in the market, are positive for farmers. This is what the NFU has been asking for and I’d like to thank government for making these changes.
“We will look at the guidance closely and we are continuing to engage with government on the importance of fertiliser and about ways it can ensure stability and confidence in the food supply chain.”
Responding to the new FRfW guidance, NFU Deputy President Tom Bradshaw said: “Today’s announcement provides much needed clarity for farmers and growers who have had significant concerns for some time about how the Farming Rules for Water regulations are being interpreted.
“Over the past year the NFU has played an important role bringing together the farming industry, Environment Agency and Defra to agree that organic manures can be spread in the autumn, so crops are receiving the vital nutrients they require. This new guidance will enable farm businesses to plan with confidence and importantly, drive improvements that benefit soil and plant health as well as water quality.”
Mark Tufnell, president of the Country Land and Business Association said: “Whilst we welcome today’s announcements, it is important to recognise the sheer scale of the challenges ahead in the UK’s food production.
“We welcome the news that DEFRA has accepted the industry’s advice to allow the continued use of urea within an accreditation scheme, audited by Red Tractor. This gives farmers a greater degree of choice when purchasing fertiliser.”
Soil Association Farming Director Liz Bowles said: “We welcome the commitment from ministers to accelerate the reduction in our reliance on artificial nitrogen fertiliser and invest in soil health.”