New rules will be introduced which aims to save farmers money whilst also better protecting the water environment.
From 2 April 2018, the new government rules will affect all farmers in England, and will be introduced to help protect water quality, by standardising good farm practices and offering a new approach to regulation.
In essence, the rules will require farmers to keep soil on the land, match nutrients to crop and soil needs, and keep livestock fertilisers and manures out of the water.
Farmers and land managers will be able to determine what approach is best for their land, through methods such as deciding when it is safe to spread fertilisers.
There will be eight farming rules, five about managing fertilisers and manures and three on managing soils.
The fertiliser rules require farmers to test their soils, then plan and apply their fertiliser or manure to improve soil nutrient levels and meet crop needs.
They include minimum storage and spreading distances from water bodies. They also require the farmer to assess weather and soil conditions to reduce the risk of runoff and soil erosion.
The remaining rules require farmers to manage livestock by protecting land within five metres of water and reducing livestock poaching.
In addition to these rules, farmers are encouraged to incorporate organic fertilisers into the soil within 12 hours of spreading to significantly reduce ammonia pollution.
'Win-win'
The Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey said the new rules are a "win-win" for farmers and the environment.
She said they will help improve water quality, set a level playing field for all farmers, help businesses save money from better resource efficiency and improve resilience.
“Our ambition is to be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we found it and these new rules will help us deliver our plans for a Green Brexit along with a better future for farming business,” Ms Coffey said.
Farming rules for water are part of a government package to help farmers look after the environment. The government is also investing £400m through Countryside Stewardship and a £12 million farm ammonia reduction grant to tackle agricultural emissions.
