Catchment-Sensitive Farming: Tackling Diffuse Water Pollution from Agriculture in England —Policies and Drivers - Water and Agriculture: Sustainability, Markets and Policies - page 272

Farmers located within the existing NVZs designated in 1996 have been required to
adhere to a lower limit of 170 kg/ha total N per year for spreading manure on arable land
since 19 December 2002. From 19 December 2006, farmers located in the new NVZs will
also be required to adhere to this lower limit rather than the current 210 kg/ha.
The Government encourages farmers outside of the NVZs to follow voluntary Codes
of Good Practice (Defra 1998) for the protection of the environment. The Code also helps
to reduce other pollution, including phosphate losses, microbiological contamination of
bathing waters and pesticide losses.
The UK is currently in the process of reviewing the Action Programme and possible
changes include:

extending the closed period for manures to all soils

extending manure classification to other types of manure

setting a 170kg N/ha

compulsory nutrient management plans for N.

Any changes will come into effect in mid-2006 after wide consultation in late 2005
(see Defra website [http://defraweb/default.htm] for detail).

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Reform
The most significant policy currently impacting on the agricultural industry is the
recent reform of the CAP and the de-coupling that is taking place from production-led to
demand/market led (see Defra website [http://defraweb/default.htm] for detail).
Since January 2005, the Single Payment Scheme replaced most existing crop and
livestock payments. The new scheme has broken the link between production and
support. Instead, farmers will be asked to demonstrate that they are keeping land in Good
Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) and complying with a number of
specified legal requirements relating to the environment, public and plant health, animal
health and welfare, and livestock identification and tracing (SMRs). Meeting these
requirements is described in the CAP legislation as “cross compliance”.
The CAP Regulations (Council Regulation 1782/2003) set out a framework of GAEC
standards within which each member state decides its own detailed rules. The GAEC
framework, and hence the standards for England, focus upon two areas: soil management
and protection; and maintenance of habitats and landscape features. It is generally held
that GAEC standards will contribute to raising the environmental performance of
agriculture. GAEC requirements will apply to all land managers in receipt of the Single
Payment.
As well as changes to the direct farm payment, in 2005 farmers in England 3 can also
apply to Environmental Stewardship Schemes (ES) that pay farmers to farm in a more
environmentally sensitive manner, beyond that of what is required in cross compliance.
This forms part of England's funding from the EU's Rural Development Regulation
3. In Wales, Tir Gofal (like Higher Level Stewardship) and proposed new schemes such as Tir

Cynnal (like Entry Level Stewardship) are available under Environmental Stewardship Schemes.