Compliance with EU Agricultural and Environmental Requirements - The Swedish Experience

1. Compliance with EU Agricultural and Environmental Requirements - The Swedish Experience Christine Jakobsson, JTI Regional Conference on Agricultural Source Pollution in Danube, Baltic and Black Sea Riparian Countries, Bucharest September 30 - October 3, 2003 C. Jakobsson 5/2003

2. Disposition • EU:s NitrateDirective • Sweden’s legislation and adaptation to EU • Swedish advisory service & information • Synthesis from the implementation of EU:s Nitrate Directive C. Jakobsson 5/2003

3. The policy implementation of nutrient management in European CountriesEU:s NitrateDirectiveDifferent approaches in policy • Nitrogen or phosphorus based systems • N based systemsas in the Nitrate Directive, (170 kg N/ha) are most common • P based systemse.g. Sweden, the allowed level of P is defined as livestock density corresponding to 22 kg P in manure/ha, - no problems with requirements of 170 kg N/ha returned in animal excreta (Nitrate Directive). Another advantage is that information on P content in manure is more reliable, as losses in animal houses and during storage are almost non-existent and therefore easier for the farmer to calculate. • N and P-based systems C. Jakobsson 5/2003

4. The policy implementation of nutrient management in European CountriesEU:s NitrateDirectiveImplementation of nutrient management legislation • The Nitrate Directive issued in 1991. Most activities to be implemented before 2000. • Objectivesareto reduce water pollution caused or induced by nitrates from agricultural sources and to prevent such pollution. • Member states must identify Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NZVs) on the basis of monitoring requirements results. • Action Programmes with mandatory measures on agricultural practices must be implemented in NVZs. Maximum amounts of animal manure that can be applied to land yearly (210 kg N/ha until mid-December 2002 when the amount will be reduced to 170 kg N/ha). • Monitoring of water quality according to specific requirements. • Codes of Good Agricultural Practice (CGAP) must be elaborated and are mandatory in the NVZs and voluntary outside. C. Jakobsson 5/2003

5. Nitrate Vulnerable Zones in Europe Source: J. Duchemin C. Jakobsson 5/2003

6. EU:s Nitrate directive • Promote the use of suitable methods within agriculture to create a general protective level against all pollution of all water • Special protection is necessary for certain areas against nitrogen compounds • Members states must identify vulnerable zones and establish and implement action programmes for these areas (within 2 years) • Action programmes should contain measures to reduce the land-application of all N-fertilisers and in particular to set specific limits for the application of livestock manure • It is necessary to monitor waters C. Jakobsson 5/2003

7. EU:s Nitrate directive Establish a Code of Good Agricultural Practice The objective of reducing nitrate pollution should cover: • periods when the land application of fertiliser is inappropriate; • the land application of fertilisers to steeply sloping ground; • the land application of fertiliser to water-saturated, flooded, frozen or snow-covered ground; • the conditions for land application of fertiliser near water courses; • the capacity and construction of storage vessels for livestock manure, including measures to prevent water pollution by run-off and seepage into the groundwater and surface water of liquids containing livestock manure and effluents from stored plant materials such as silage; • procedures for the land application, including rate and uniformity of spreading, of both chemical fertiliser and livestock manure, that will maintain nutrient losses to water at an acceptable level C. Jakobsson 5/2003

8. EU:s Nitrate directive Establish a Code of Good Agricultural Practice The objective of reducing nitrate pollution may cover: • land use management, including the use of crop rotation systems and the proportion of the land area devoted to permanent crops relative to annual tillage crops; • the maintenance of a minimum quantity of vegetation cover during (rainy) periods that will take up the nitrogen from the soil that could otherwise cause NO3-pollution of water; • the establishment of fertiliser plans on a farm-by-farm basis and the keeping of records on fertiliser use; • the prevention of water pollution from run-off and the downward water movement beyond the reach of crop roots in irrigation systems. C. Jakobsson 5/2003

9. EU:s Nitrate directive Measures to be include in action programmes - rules: • periods when the land applicationof certain types of fertiliser isprohibited; • the capacity of storage vessels for livestock manure; C. Jakobsson 5/2003

10. EU:s Nitrate directive Measures to be include in action programmes - rules cont.: • limitation of the land application of fertilisers,consistent with good agricultural practice and taking into account the characteristics of the vulnerable zone concerned, in particular: • soil conditions, soil type and slope; • climatic conditions, rainfall and irrigation; • land use and agricultural practices, including crop rotation systems; and to be based on a balance between: • the foreseeable N requirements of the crops, and • the nitrogen supply to the crops from the soil and from fertilisation corresponding to: • the amount of N present in the soil at the end of winter • through net mineralisation of the organic N reserves in the soil • from livestock manure • from chemical and other fertilisers C. Jakobsson 5/2003

11. EU:s Nitrate directive Measures to be include in action programmes - rules continuation: • These measures will ensure that, for each farm or livestock unit the amount of livestock manure applied to the land each year, including by the animals themselves, shall not exceed 170 kg N per hectare (210 kg N per ha the first 4 years) • These amounts may be calculated on the basis of animal numbers C. Jakobsson 5/2003

12. EU:s Nitrate directive Criteria for identifying waters - Monitoring programmes and measures • if the groundwater contains more than 50 mg/l nitrates • if surface freshwaters, in particular those used for drinking water, contain more than 50 mg/l nitrates • if natural freshwater lakes, other freshwater bodies, estuaries, coastal waters and marine waters are found to be eutrophic or may become so C. Jakobsson 5/2003

13. Sweden • Sweden is a very sparsely populated and forest dominated country. • The environmental problems are small in comparison to many other countries in Europe. • Nutrient leakage from agriculture, especiallynitrogen, affects coastal areas and also rivers and lakes negatively. • Surface run-off of phosphorus can be a problem causing eutrophication, mainly in inland waters, where phosphorus is generally the growth limiting factor. C. Jakobsson 5/2003

14. Programme to reduce nutrient losses from agriculture • Launched in 1988 by the Swedish Parliament • The goal was to reduce the amount of N that reaches the Baltic Sea by 50% from 1985 to 1995 and to substantially reduce the amount of P. • This goal has not been reached, but 25% reductions in N losses to the Baltic Sea have been calculated. In Svealand the reduction of nitrogen losses to the sea was up to 40% (SEPA, 1997). • Since 1995 specific measures to reduce the ammonia losses from agriculture were successively elaborated and implemented. • Measures to tackle the problems are: • requirements and guidelines • advisory service and information • research and development • economic instruments of control C. Jakobsson 5/2003

15. Livestock Density • To ensure that manure is not produced in excess to the amount of arable land on the farm, a balance must exist between the amount of animals on the farm and the amount of land available for spreading manure. • The maximum amount of animals has been precised with consideration taken to the amount of P and N in manure and a crops normal requirements and removal of plant nutrients. • The limiting factor is P, with a maximum amount of approximately 23-25 kg P per hectare. • As the amount of manure per area will be moderate, the risk of nutrient leaching of both N and P will be smaller. • One advantage with using P instead of N is that the figures on P content in manure are more reliable, as P losses in the stable and during storage are almost non-existing. C. Jakobsson 5/2003

16. The number of animals per hectare may not be larger than: Type of animal Animals/ha Dairy cows 1,6 Cows for breeding calves 2,3 Heifers, bulls, steers > 1 years age 4,6 Calves < 1 years age 5,8 Sheep and goats 15 Sows in production 2,2 Fattening pigs, places 10,5 Laying hens, places 100 Young hens, places 250 Broilers, places 470 Turkeys, ducks, geese, places 140 Horses 3 Mink, breeding females 50 • Spreading area for manure • Own arable land and leased arable land • Spreading contracts (min. 5 years) with neighbors & spreading journal • Exception - if manure is fabricated to a product that leaves the farm C. Jakobsson 5/2003

17. Manure storage Manure, slurry and urine storage requirements in sensitive regions and for large farms • 8 months for animal production consisting of cattle, horses, sheep or goats • 10 months for other types of animal production. Applies to all farms with > 10 animal units in a specified pollution sensitive area consisting of southern Sweden and a 20 km coastal zone from the Norwegian border to Stockholm county. They also apply to all farms in Sweden with > 100 animal units. In the rest of Sweden The size of the storage facilities for manure should with good margins be able to handle the need for storage during the time-period when livestock manure should not be spread - 6 to 10 months production of manure. C. Jakobsson 5/2003

18. Ammonia reduction measures for storage of slurry and urine • slurry and urine pits must be covered with a stable surface crust layer or other covering that effectively reduces ammonia emissions • filling must take place beneath the covering. Since 1995, this affects farms with > 10 animal units in three counties in southern Sweden, and since 1997 in the rest of Götaland and on the plains of Svealand. Slurry pits can either be covered with a natural crust, straw, peat, plastic, leca pebbles, a roof or other covering materials that effectively reduce ammonia emissions. Filling beneath the covering is to prevent the slurry or urine from breaking the cover or ending up on top of the cover. C. Jakobsson 5/2003

19. Applying manure Ban on application of manure and other organic manure during winter • To prevent nutrient leaching,manure and other organic wastes may not be applied to land in Sweden during the 1st of December to the 28th of February, unless they are incorporated in the soil the same day to a depth of at least 10 cm. • Harrowing the surface is not enough. C. Jakobsson 5/2003

20. Sweden’s adaptation of legislation to the Nitrate DirectiveNew requirements on manure application in sensitive regions since January 1999 1. Fertilisers must not be spread in amounts exceeding the crops nitrogen requirements for the growing season. The amount of fertiliser applicated should be based on a balance between the crops foreseeable nitrogen requirements and the nitrogen supply from all external potential nutrient sources, as well as taking into account: a) soil conditions, soil type and slope, b) climatic conditions, precipitation and irrigation, c) land use and agricultural practices, including crop rotation systems; 2. Fertiliser must not be applicated on water-saturated or flooded ground; C. Jakobsson 5/2003

21. Sweden’s adaptation of legislation to the Nitrate DirectiveNew requirements on manure application in sensitive regions since January 1999 3. Fertiliser must not be applicated on snow-covered or deeply frozen ground; 4. Nitrogen containing commercial fertilisers must not be applicated from the 1st of November to the 15th of February; 5. Manure and other organic fertilisers must not be applicated from the 1st of January to the 15th of February; 6. Manure and other organic fertilisers can be spread from the 1st of August to the 30th of November only to a growing crop or before autumn sowing. C. Jakobsson 5/2003

22. New requirements on manure application in sensitive regions since January 1999 Land application of FYM with the exception of poultry manure, is allowed on bare soils, without the requirements of autumn sowing afterwards, from 20 October to 30 November in the counties of Blekinge, Skåne och Halland if incorporation takes place, as well as from 10 October to 30 November in the defined coastal areas of Stockholms, Södermanlands, Östergötlands, Kalmar, Västra Götalands and Gotlands county, if incorporation takes place the same day. Farmyard manure (FYM) is defined as manure and other organic fertilisers that can be stacked to at least 1 meters height without a supportive wall and that has a dry matter content higher than 20%. C. Jakobsson 5/2003

23. Ammonia reduction measures for application ofmanureIncorporation within 4 hours Since 1996, manure, slurry or urine must be incorporated within 4 hours after land application when spreading on bare soils. This applies to three counties in southern Sweden. When applying manure, slurry and urine it is of great importance that incorporation takes place as soon as possible, as the largest ammonia emissions take place immediately after application. The ammonia emissions are high, when the contents of ammonia nitrogen are high in the urine, slurry or manure. It is not until the ammonia ion is adsorbed by soil particles or assimilated by crops, that the risk of ammonia emissions is practically inhibited. C. Jakobsson 5/2003

24. Techniques for application to growing crops In the three counties in southern Sweden, from 1998, slurry must be spread to growing crops with techniques that efficiently reduce losses of ammonia: • Bandspreading techniques or other similar techniques, where slurry is placed directly on the ground beneath the crop cover, • Injectorsor other similar techniques, where slurry is placed directly in the ground, • Techniques, where one part slurry is diluted with at least one half part water before application (broadcasting), • Techniques, that are followed by irrigation with at least 10 mm water within 4 hours (broadcasting). C. Jakobsson 5/2003

25. Winter-green land At least 60 respectively 50% winter-green land is required during the autumn or winter on every farm with more than 5 hectares arable land in the three most southern counties and in the rest of Götaland respectively. Only open fields, not natural pastures or grazing land, are affected by the requirements. Both the time for sowing and for interrupting plant growth are regulated. The following crops are accepted: grassland, winter cereals, winter oilseeds, energy forest (usually Salix), sugar beets, carrots or other similar root crops (not potatoes), perennial fruit and berry crops, special catch crops (usually perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne), set-aside arable land with covering plants. C. Jakobsson 5/2003

26. Permits for farms with more than 200 animal units • Farms with more than 200 animal units are required to apply for a permit at the County Administrative Board to be able to operate. • The permit usually consists of requirements regarding the maximum amount of animals, the storage capacity and application of manure etc. C. Jakobsson 5/2003

27. Plant nutrients - Current legislation affecting the agricultural sector in Sweden Summary • Livestock density: according to P contents of manure (23-25 kg P/ha) • Manure storage: storage capacity, covering of urine and slurry pits, filling beneath the cover • Application of manure: ban, new requirements, incorporation, spreading techniques when spreading in a growing crops • Application of fertilisers: nitrogen application according to the crops requirements, ban on winter spreading • Winter-green land: 60 resp. 50% • Permits for farms with more than 200 livestock units C. Jakobsson 5/2003

28. Advisory service and information • Advice free of charge for all farms with more than 20 livestock units since 1988 • Plant nutrient balance (farm-gate balance)- STANK computer programme • Plant production plan with special reference to strategies for usage of manure • Plant nutrient newsletters • Demonstrations e.g. manure spreaders and field trials • Since 2001 “Focus on Nutrients” C. Jakobsson 5/2003

29. Focus on Nutrients • Joint venture between The Swedish Board of Agriculture, The County Administration Boards, The Federation of Swedish Farmers and a number of companies in the farming business. • The largest single undertaking in Sweden to reduce losses of nutrients to air and water from livestock and crop production. Mainly in the Southern part of Sweden • A campaign to provide training and advice and the project´s aim is to encompass the entire flow of nutrients on the farm. Extended extension service and documentation at the farm level, indicators • Voluntary programme for farmers with environmental payments (EU-CAP). 3 800 farmers have joined. • The background is the new Swedish national goals for environmental quality C. Jakobsson 5/2003

30. - Zero Eutrophication - Phosphorus losses, nitrogen leaching,ammonia volatilisation - Natural Acidification Only - Ammonia volatilisation - Good-Quality Groundwater - Nitrogen leaching - Reduced Climate Impact - Nitrous oxide emissions (nitrogen leaching) - A Non Toxic Environment - Handling of plant protection chemicals Environmental Quality Goal Area covered by Focus on Nutrients C. Jakobsson 5/2003

31. Focus on Nutrients The purpose is to: * reduce losses of nitrate from farmland * reduce ammonia emissions from manure * reduce losses of phosphorus from farmland * avoid spreading of pesticides into surface and groundwater This shall be reached by increasing nutrient management efficiency on the farms by increasing awareness and knowledge. The farmer is in focus and therefore the core of the project is education and advising by individual visits by farm advisers. www.greppa.nu C. Jakobsson 5/2003

32. “Focus on Nutrients” “Greppa näringen”Advice - Sequence of advisory modules • Start-planning advisory needs • Basic nutrient balance • Repeat nutrient balance • Nitrogen strategy • Phosphorus strategy • Soil compaction • Handling of plant protection chemicals • Planning wetlands • Grass crop strategy • Animal housing environment • Planning of buildings • Inspection of feeding plan for dairy cows • Inspection of feeding plan for beef cattle • Grazing strategy • Feed consumption recording for piglets • Feed consumption recording for fattening pigs C. Jakobsson 5/2003

33. Options and perspectives of the nutrient policy in Sweden - Conclusions • Sweden is generally satisfied with the legislation in this area • No large problems exist • No major changes in the legislation are planned for the future • Minor adjustments will most likely take place e.g. • Enlargement of NVZ area • Definitions of animal units • Livestock density • Sweden is more interested in voluntary agreements with farmers • No changes in the ammonia legislation were introduced after the review and analysis (1998) - instead wait for the results from the legislation that recently came into place (1995 - ) C. Jakobsson 5/2003

34. Options and perspectives of the nutrient policy in Sweden Conclusions Measures and control • No difficulties • Livestock density, • storage of manure/urine/slurry, • green land, spreading technology • Some difficulties • incorporation of manure/urine/slurry within a time frame (4 hours) - documentation of spreading on the farm C. Jakobsson 5/2003

35. Advice from Ingrid Svedinger, Ministry of Agriculture, Sweden • Take regular contact and have discussions with DG Environment, Michael Hamell, chairman(Irland), Liliana Cortelini and Claudia Olasabel • Be active within the Nitrate Committee • Difference between guidelines (stricter - should be done, if not otherwise proven) and guidance (only recommendations) C. Jakobsson 5/2003

36. Main obligations of the Nitrate Directive and their implementation by Member States as of 01/06/2001 C. Jakobsson 5/2003

37. C. Jakobsson 5/2003

38. D. CONCLUSION • At least 30-40% of rivers and lakesshow eutrophication symptoms or bring high nitrogen fluxes to coastal waters and seas. The agricultural origin is 50 - 80% of total N inputs to EU waters, depending on Member States, watersheds and annual variations; • All M. S. have now transposed the directive, set up a comprehensive monitoring network, established a code of good practice, and designated at least partially their vulnerable zones (except Ireland); • A CAP more oriented towards quality rather than quantity, encouraging extensive cropping or breeding, “buffer” natural areas and accurate balanced fertilisation, can further contribute to these purposes; • Cost-efficiency studies on preventive measures should also be encouraged, in order to focus action programmes and practice changes towards the most efficient one; C. Jakobsson 5/2003

39. D. CONCLUSION cont. • Besides financial support for a more environmental-friendly agriculture and dissemination of knowledge, it is necessary that all M.S. arrive at a full implementation of the Nitrate Directive, reinforce surveys and controls at field level (including checking of fertilisation plans and records, manure storage and handling, soil analysis, natural buffer strips, etc.), and introduce dissuasive penalties for the producers who do not ensure eco-compliance. • Investments in urban wastewater treatment will be inefficient regarding nutrients if a parallel effort is not devoted to an effective reduction of agricultural nutrients losses. • Water Framework Directive (WFD). A synergy has to be developed in the future work for common implementation of these water directives, on items such as: — Harmonisation of water sampling points, networks, parameters and frequencies for water quality monitoring in order to meet, with minimum work at field level, the needs linked with EU Directives, OECD-Eurostat Questionnaires, EEA “Eurowaternet”, Marine and River Conventions, and local/regional needs. C. Jakobsson 5/2003

40. D. CONCLUSION cont. — Harmonisation of water sampling points, networks, parameters and frequencies for water quality monitoring in order to meet, with minimum work at field level, the needs linked with EU Directives, OECD-Eurostat Questionnaires, EEA Eurowaternet”, Marine and River Conventions, and local/regional needs. — Assessment of point and diffuse losses of nutrients to waters, and of the breakdown of their origin (agriculture, urban waters, industry, air deposition…: —Models correlating environmental impacts (e.g. algae blooms) and causative factors (nutrients, natural conditions, etc.), which will allow forecast of impact of various scenarios in the reduction or increase of these factors. — Cost-efficiency approach for preventive measures. Nitrogen and Phosphorus will certainly appear as priority polluters in many E.U. watersheds. C. Jakobsson 5/2003