Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
take part in a special fertiliser management programme called 'Quality Approach'
raising the authorised yearly applicable (see Table 1). The way this programme is
monitored (and the corresponding derogations granted) constitutes the main originality
of the Walloon programme and is detailed in point 3 below.
Given the fact that the surface of the Walloon region devoted to agriculture is nearly
equally divided between arable land and grassland, the corresponding authorised doses on
average at regional level is 145 kg N.ha
-1
.yr
-1
in vulnerable zone and 165 kg N.ha
-1
.yr
-1
outside, which is inferior to the maximum quantity set by the nitrate directive (170 kg
N.ha
-1
.yr
-1
).
Some other aspects of the Walloon Action Programme pertain to the period during
which manure application is forbidden (hence the corresponding storage facilities that
have to be installed), the restriction in the total quantity of nitrogen fertilisers applicable
and the use of a provisional nitrogen balance calculation to predict the right quantity of
manure that should be applied on a particular field.
Manure application period
Regarding the manure application period (see Figure 2), the Walloon legislation
differentiates between fast-acting and slow-acting manures:
Fast acting manures are slurries and poultry manure and their spreading is forbidden
during the winter months, as no vegetation can really take advantage of the high
nitrogen content readily available for the plant during this period; hence, the danger of
leaching up to the water table is very high. The same restriction applies for mineral
nitrogen fertilisers.
Slow-acting manure is solid manure (apart from poultry manure), composted or not. In
this case, the forbidden period for application on crops is the summer, because the
nitrogen contained in it is mineralised at a slower pace. However, if a crop staying in
place throughout the winter is sown directly after manure application (or a nitrogen
catch crop), this application is tolerated.
Manure storage facility
These restrictions in manure application suppose the availability of a storage facility.
Here again, the danger of polluting the water table is substantial if precautions are not
observed. For liquid manure, the storage tanks of a particular farm must hold a minimum
of six months' manure production and must be fully waterproof. The investment needed
is quite high in regard to the financial capabilities of our farmers and is partly supported
by the Regional authorities. For solid manure, a concrete platform with collecting drains
is required or storage in the field is tolerated provided that manure is dry enough.
However, if this latter solution is chosen the place must change every year.
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