1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Action Programme for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2013.
(2) With the exception of regulation 11, these Regulations come into force on 15th May 2013.
(3) Regulation 11 of these Regulations comes into force on 1st January 2014.
2. The Action Programme for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (Scotland) Regulations 2008(1) are amended in accordance with regulations 3 to 11.
3.—(1) Regulation 3 (interpretation) is amended as follows.
(2) In paragraph (1), after the definition of “chemical fertiliser” insert—
““compost” means compost that—
complies with Publicly Available Specification PAS 100:2011 (Specification for composted materials) published by the British Standards Institution(2), and
does not contain livestock manure;”.
(3) In paragraph (1), after the definition of “shallow” insert—
““silage effluent” has the meaning given in regulation 1(2) of the Control of Pollution (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) (Scotland) Regulations 2003(3);”.
(4) In paragraph (1), after the definition of “slurry” insert—
““soil nutrient status” means soil acidity and plant available concentrations of phosphorous, potassium and magnesium in the soil;
“soil type” means the soil types listed in Table 1 of Schedule 3;”.
4. For regulation 6 (storage of livestock manure), substitute—
6.—(1) Subject to regulations 7 to 11, the capacity of storage facilities for livestock manure and silage effluent on a farm must be sufficient to store all livestock manure and silage effluent which is likely to require to be stored on the farm for such period as may be required to secure compliance with these Regulations and to avoid pollution of the water environment.
(2) Storage facilities for livestock manure and silage effluent must—
(a)be maintained free from structural defects; and
(b)be of such standard as is necessary to prevent run off or seepage, directly or indirectly, to the soil or into the water environment.”.
5.—(1) Regulation 10 (temporary storage of solid manure) is amended as follows.
(2) For paragraph (2), substitute—
“(2) No field heap may be located—
(a)within 10 metres of any body of surface water;
(b)within 50 metres of any well, borehole or similar work sunk into underground strata for the purpose of providing a water supply;
(c)on any area of land that—
(i)slopes down toward a body of surface water; and
(ii)has a slope of 12 degrees or more;
(d)in any area identified on the risk assessment map prepared under regulation 5(4) as being of high risk to the water environment; or
(e)in any other location where there is a significant risk of nitrogen from the field heap entering a body of surface water.”.
6.—(1) Regulation 12 (maximum application of nitrogen fertiliser) is amended as follows.
(2) For paragraph (4), substitute—
“(4) Before planting any crop which is not referred to in paragraph (2) or (3), the maximum amount of nitrogen fertiliser which can be applied to that crop shall be calculated in accordance with the recommendations for that crop type specified in—
(a)the Scottish Agricultural College’s Technical Note TN651 (Nitrogen recommendations for cereals, oilseed rape and potatoes)(4);
(b)the Scottish Agricultural College’s Technical Note TN623 (Fertiliser recommendations for soft fruit and rhubarb crops)(5); or
(c)the Scottish Agricultural College’s Technical Note TN649 (Fertiliser recommendations for vegetable, minority arable crops and bulbs)(6),
and no nitrogen shall be applied in excess of that figure.”.
(3) After paragraph (6), insert—
“(7) Where the calculation of the maximum amount of nitrogen fertiliser that may be applied on the farm to a crop has been adjusted upwards in accordance with paragraph (2)(c) and Schedule 3 based on an expected yield, the expected yield must be based upon—
(a)evidence of historic yields previously achieved by that crop at that farm; or
(b)where a new crop management system is to be introduced for that crop at that farm, evidence from another farm within the same nitrate vulnerable zone with similar soil type and soil nutrient status of historic yields previously achieved by that crop at that other farm using that crop management system.”.
7.—(1) Regulation 15 (annual field limit of nitrogen in organic manure) is amended as follows.
(2) In paragraph (1), after the words “organic manure” where they appear on both occasions, insert—
“(other than compost)”.
(3) After paragraph (1), insert—
“(1A) Compost shall not be applied to any field where the application would result in the total nitrogen contained in organic manure (including compost) applied to any field in any 24 month period exceeding a rate of 500 kg per hectare, excluding that deposited by animals whilst grazing.”.
8.—(1) Regulation 20 (closed periods for organic manure with high available nitrogen content) is amended as follows.
(2) In sub-paragraph (b) of paragraph (1), for “15th October and 15th January” substitute—
“15th October and 31st January”.
(3) In sub-paragraph (d) of paragraph (1), for “1st October and 15th January” substitute—
“1st October and 31st January”.
9.—(1) Regulation 25 (records to be kept) is amended as follows.
(2) After sub-paragraph (g) of paragraph (1), insert—
“and
(h)the location of any field heaps.”.
10.—(1) Regulation 26 (records to be retained) is amended as follows.
(2) For “5 years” substitute “3 years”.
11.—(1) In Schedule 3 (calculation of maximum nitrogen application to crops), Table 5 (percentage nitrogen content taken up by a crop per given quantity of livestock manure) is amended as follows.
(2) In Column 3, in the line regarding cattle slurry, for “35%” substitute “40%”.
(3) In Column 3, in the line regarding pig slurry, for “45%” substitute “50%”.
RICHARD LOCHHEAD
A member of the Scottish Government
St Andrew’s House,
Edinburgh
4th April 2013