Farmers in Wales face new restrictions on spreading high-nitrogen manures this autumn, as closed periods under the country’s pollution control rules come into force.
The measures are part of the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021, designed to reduce the risk of nutrient losses during the winter months, when crop growth slows and run-off is more likely.
The rules cover cattle slurry, pig slurry, poultry manure and any organic manure with 30% or more nitrogen available at application.
Dates vary by soil type and land use. For sandy or shallow soils, tillage land is covered from 1 August to 31 December 2025, and grassland from 1 September to 31 December 2025.
On all other soils, tillage land is restricted from 1 October 2025 to 31 January 2026, with grassland covered between 15 October 2025 and 15 January 2026.
Solid cattle manure and other low-nitrogen manures can still be applied where crops require it.
Simon Griffiths of Natural Resources Wales, said the closed periods are “a vital safeguard for our environment, especially during the winter months when the risk of runoff is highest.”
He advised farmers to check their slurry storage capacity and ensure applications are recorded in a Nitrogen Management Plan.
Not all in the farming community agree that these rules are workable. NFU Cymru has expressed deep frustration with the pace of regulatory change, complaining that the review of pollution rules “failed to reflect the sheer desperation of farmers in Wales.”
Farmers, they say, are under “very significant pressure” and see little hope in recommendations that merely “consider the possibility” of alternative closed-period models.
The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) goes further, describing the regulations as “bureaucratic, costly and disproportionate.”
The FUW has long argued for a more targeted approach, with exemptions or flexibility for low-risk farms, rather than blanket “farming by calendar” rules that apply the same restrictions everywhere
To comply, NRW recommends farmers ensure at least five months’ storage for cattle slurry and six months for pig or poultry manures; spread only before the deadline in suitable conditions; avoid overapplication; and make sure to monitor weather and soil.
