What is the cross compliance Nitrates Directive 1991?

The Directive was adopted in 1991 to reduce water pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources. It requires member states to designate as Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) areas of land that drain into polluted waters and to set up Action Programme in these zones.

What is meant by the Nitrates Directive?

What the Nitrates Directive is. The Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) has been in place since 1991. It aims to protect water quality from pollution by agricultural sources and to promote the use of good farming practice.

What is nitrate PPM?

Nitrate is a form of dissolved nitrogen that occurs naturally in soil and water. Infants and pregnant or nursing women are especially vulnerable to health problems from drinking water with nitrate levels above 10 parts per million (ppm), equivalent to 10 milligrams per liter.

What are DAFM requirements when it comes to spreading of soiled water and washings?

Soiled water must have a biochemical oxygen demand of less than 2500mg/l or a dry matter content of less than 1% (10g/l). Clean water from roofs and unsoiled paved areas should be diverted away from soiled yards & prevented from entering storage facilities for slurry etc.

What is a derogation farm?

The Nitrates Derogation provides farmers an opportunity to farm at higher stocking rates, subject to certain conditions designed to protect the environment and meet the requirements of the Nitrates Directive.

Is 5 ppm nitrate bad?

Nitrite levels above 0.75 ppm in water can cause stress in fish and greater than 5 ppm can be toxic. Nitrate levels from 0 – 40 ppm are generally safe for fish. Anything greater than 80 can be toxic.

Is 20 ppm nitrate too high?

Although many aquarists run their tanks with extreme nitrate levels, the ideal is a maximum of 5 to 10 ppm. Levels of 20 to 50 ppm are too high. When nitrate levels rise to completely intolerable levels, fish will become lethargic and may have open sores or red blotches on their skin.

What is soiled water?

Dairy soiled water/dilute slurry (hereafter referred to as soiled water) is a farmyard effluent, produced through washing down milking parlours and holding areas, that contains parlour washings, spilt milk, urine and faeces.

How much slurry storage do I need?

How much slurry storage is needed for a cow? 0.33 cubic metres required per week per cow where no rainfall is included.

What are the requirements of the nitrate directive?

The Directive requires Member States to apply agricultural action programme measures throughout their whole territory or within discrete nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZ’s). Action programme measures are required to promote best practice in the use and storage of fertiliser and manure by 4 key measures:

How are nitrates managed by the European Commission?

The directive is managed by EU countries and involves: monitoring water quality in relation to agriculture; establishment of (voluntary) codes of good agricultural practice and of (obligatory) measures to be implemented in action programmes for nitrate vulnerable zones.

What are the regulations for nitrates in Ireland?

The European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations commonly referred to as the “Nitrates Regulations” or “GAP Regulations” give legal effect to Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme. The most recent Regulations are listed below. Local Authorities are responsible for enforcing the Nitrates Regulations.

When was cross compliance introduced in the UK?

Cross Compliance aims at ensuring the safe production of food, the welfare of animals, the sustainable use of land, the maintenance of natural resources and limiting climate change. Cross Compliance requirements were first introduced in 2000 in a limited format and developed further under the 2003 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform.