The Nitrate Pollution Prevention (Wales) Regulations 2013

Planning the spreading of nitrogen fertiliser

14.—(1) An occupier of a holding who intends to spread nitrogen fertiliser must—

(a) calculate the amount of nitrogen in the soil that is likely to be available for uptake by the crop during the growing season (“the soil nitrogen supply”);

(b) calculate the optimum amount of nitrogen that should be spread on the crop, taking into account the amount of nitrogen available from the soil nitrogen supply; and

(c) produce a plan for the spreading of nitrogen fertiliser for that growing season.

(2) In the case of any crop other than permanent grassland, the occupier must do this before spreading any nitrogen fertiliser for the first time for the purpose of fertilising a crop planted or intended to be planted.

(3) In the case of permanent grassland the occupier must do this each year beginning 1 January before the first spreading of nitrogen fertiliser.

(4) The plan must be in permanent form.

(5) The plan must record—

(a) the reference or name of the relevant field;

(b) the area of the field planted or intended to be planted; and

(c) the type of crop.

(6) For the area planted or intended to be planted the plan must record—

(a) the soil type;

(b) the previous crop (if the previous crop was grass, whether it was managed by cutting or grazing);

(c) the soil nitrogen supply calculated in accordance with paragraph (1) and the method used to establish this figure;

(d) the anticipated month that the crop will be planted;

(e) the anticipated yield (if arable); and

(f) the optimum amount of nitrogen that should be spread on the crop, taking into account the amount of nitrogen available from the soil nitrogen supply.