ARCHIVE: Cross compliance monitoring: SMR 4 Nitrate Nulnerable Zones (NVZs) - record keeping
The aim of SMR 4 requirements is to reduce the pollution of waters caused or induced by nitrates from agricultural sources and to prevent further pollution. They apply to land within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ).
All farmers must keep adequate records relating to livestock numbers and the use of nitrogen fertiliser and organic manures. Records must be kept for at least five years. Lack of adequate records was the most common reason for cross compliance breaches during random inspections for this SMR.
(a) in 2001 recorded as farms with farm waste management plans
One source of data on record keeping is the Farm Practices survey in which respondents have been asked whether they have Nutrient Management Plans. Whilst these are not obligatory, they are recommended to livestock farmers in NVZs.
Just over 50% of holdings in NVZs have nutrient management plans compared to approximately 40% of holdings outside NVZs.
The 2007 FPS also collected data on the calculation method for nitrogen fertiliser requirements. Within NVZs the most common method was to seek professional advice. Outside NVZs, the most common method was farm experience (eg normal farm practice). There was a greater recorded use of RB209 and other formal tools within NVZs.
There are some differences when farm type is considered. For farms classified as cereal, general cropping and horticulture, with the exception of formal tools, there is little difference between holdings classified within and outside NVZs. These farm types are more likely than others to seek professional advice and to make use of RB209 and other formal tools. For dairy farms the most common method was farm experience (e.g. normal farm practice) both within and outside NVZs.
For applied manures, the results are similar to those for inorganic fertilisers shown above. Reasons were also sought for not making an assessment. The most common response was that the manure content was not known or that manure nutrients are too variable.
Background
Records are essential to monitor compliance with the NVZ rules; it is therefore a legal requirement that acceptable recording systems are maintained and available made available for inspection. The records must be kept for at least 5 years and include:
- the area of the farm and its individual fields (excl. woodland, roads and hardstandng;
- the cropping of each field, including sowing dates;
- applications of nitrogen fertiliser, including quantities and application dates;
- applications of organic manures, including type, quantity and application dates;
- any livestock kept on the farm, including type and the length of time kept (ie normal stocking cycle)
- any livestock manure moved off the farm, including quantities, dates and details of the recipient.
Failure to keep adequate records was the most common reason for inspection breaches for this SMR.
Statistical and Methodological Information
Farm Practices Survey
The Farm Practices Survey (FPS) was first run in 2001 by ADAS, on behalf of what was then the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food (MAFF), as a postal survey to investigate the impact of farming practices on the environment. In 2004 the survey was relaunched as an annual survey, with a more diverse range of questions reflecting Defra's broader agenda. The FPS is not a static survey, the questions are updated each year to reflect changing data needs.
The Farm Practices Survey uses a series of thresholds to ensure that it relates to production on commercial holdings. To be included in the sample, holdings must have at least 50 cattle, 100 sheep, 100 pigs, 1000 poultry or 20ha of arable crops or orchards. There are currently around 70,000 holdings above these thresholds in England , and these are responsible for the vast majority of agricultural production.
In 2005, a separate Smaller Holdings Survey was run in 2005, going only to holdings below the normal Farm Practices Survey thresholds. This survey included a subset of questions from the 2004 and 2005 surveys, concentrating on those aspects most relevant to smaller farms.
The Farm Practices Survey is a postal survey and forms are sent out at the end of February each year. The survey is conducted as a stratified random sample, with higher sampling rates amongst the larger holdings (in economic terms). Farm types are also used in the stratification to ensure that they were adequately represented in the sample. The survey is conducted on a voluntary basis and farmers are not obliged to respond. The table below shows the sample sizes and response rates. In some years the survey comprises two different forms in order to reduce the burden on individual farmers, one covering general issues, the other concentrating on livestock related questions.
Sample sizes and response rates:
|
2001 (a) |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
Livestock form |
|
3,000 |
- |
3,000 |
- |
General form |
10,600 |
3,000 |
4,000 |
3,000 |
6,000 |
(a) Response rates to the 2001 survey were affected by the FMD outbreak.
Updates
This indicator will be updated as data become available.
Further information
A printable version of this page is available in pdf format.
Further information on cross compliance can be found on the CAP cross compliance internet site.
Information on Nitrate Vulnerable Zones can be found at:
/environment/quality/water/waterquality/diffuse/nitrate/index.htm
Further information on the Farm Practices Survey can be found at:
/evidence/statistics/foodfarm/enviro/farmpracticessurvey/index.htm
Contact
You can email the Observatory Programme Team at: observatory@defra.gsi.gov.uk.
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Page last modified: 10 November, 2010
Page published: August, 2008