Nitrate directive reduces amount of phosphorus
Furthermore, the regulations specify that every 100 kg of feedstuff fed to grazing livestock is equal to 0.5kg of P spread on a hectare of land.
The new maximum permitted for P may reduce production and profitability on some farms. The restrictions are particularly severe for certain types of farm enterprises such as winter milk production. There is a special P allowance for reseeds this year.
One of the side-effects resulting from cutting back on P applications over recent years is that potash (K) application is sometimes neglected, and this can have a serious effect on production. In fact, a lot of soil samples tested in 2010 showed deficiencies of P and K.
With severe restrictions on the amount of P (and N) that can be applied, it is important that farmers:
* Get their adviser to help them calculate the total amount of P and N that they can use on their farm while staying within the limits of the Nitrate Directive.
* Have proper fertiliser recommendations for the whole farm based on soil tests (also needed for potash and lime).
* Get a complete five-year fertiliser programme for their farms, including timing and application rates. This involves getting a farm map and identifying areas that require testing.
* Once you have the necessary soil test results and keep accurate records of fertilisers and slurry applied around your farm, you will only need to do a few spot checks thereafter. This will save on soil testing as well as fertilisers.
