Controlling the application of manure and chemical fertilizer at farm level

1. Controlling the application of manure and chemical fertilizer at farm level Jan Klir Crop Research Institute Praha Josef Svoboda Central Institute for Supervisingand Testing in Agriculture Brno

2. The Nitrate Vulnerable Zones in the Czech Republic • NVZ designation 2003 • 1. revision 2007 • 2. revision 2011 NVZ´s = about 50 % of the utilized agricultural land (UAL)

3. 1stAction Programme:Jan. 2004 – March 2008 2ndAction Programme: Apr. 2008 – June 2012 3rd Action Programme: July 2012 – All AP measures (connected to individual agricultural plots) are included in on-line LPIS application „Farmers Portal“ Digitalized maps (climatic region, soil type, N application zones, slope, erosion, drainage systems, etc.) Information in text (prohibition periods, crop limits, etc.) Register of animals On-line Fertilizers Log Book (not obligatory for farmers) The Action Programme in the Czech Republic

4. Action Programme measures(type of control) • Ban on fertilization (visual, administrative) • Storage of manure (visual, administrative) • Limitation of fertilization (administrative) • Limit 170 kg N/ha in manure (administrative) • Management on steep land (visual, administrative) • Fertilization on water saturated, frozen and snow covered soil (visual) • Fertilization near watercourses (visual)

5. 1. Ban on fertilization Notes: * for oilseed rape and winter wheat only ** since 2014

6. Distribution of fertilizers use (%) Source: AP effectiveness monitoring, 25 % of NVZ´s (Crop Research Institute, 2012)

7. 3. Limitation of fertilization • Limits for crops (agricultural plot level) • Fertilizing with nitrogen is determined by the needs of individual crops on particular sites

8. Average consumption of chemical fertilizers and manure (kg of nutrients per 1 ha of utilized agricultural land, Czech Rep.) Chemical fertilizers Manure (in livestock excrements) Source: MoA (chemical fertilizers); CzSO, CRI (manure – expressed in excrements)

10. Crop yields and nitrogen limits

11. Other limitation on fertilizers use • Three application zones (I., II., III.) based on critical soil characteristics (e.g. soil permeability)and climatic conditions (total rainfall)- digitalized map • Special limits forthe application of chemical N fertilizers and fertilizers with rapidly releasable N (i.e. slurry etc.) on arable land in the period from 15. June to the beginning of the ban on fertilization … Notes: A. max. limit of nitrogen input in chemical fertilizers, in kg N/ha B. max. limit of nitrogen input in fertilizers with rapidly releasable nitrogen, in kg N/ha

12. 4. Limit 170 kg N/ha in manure • Total amount of nitrogen in organic form (i.e. organic, organo-mineral fertilizers and manure) • Limit of 170 kg/ha of organic nitrogen in total per farm in average • No problem in the Czech Republic with this requirement due to declining number of livestock  reduced manure production

13. Manure production in Czech agriculture

14. Trends in number of livestock Source: CzSO

15. Livestock distribution(in LU per 1 ha of AL, MoA Register) Livestock density (LU per 1 ha of agricultural land

16. Study on manure production (2006-2011)

17. 5. Management on steep land Wide-row crops (maize, sunflower, soya, bean, potatoes etc.) cannot be cultivated on agricultural plots ofslope >7 which are directly adjoining to watercourse or other water bodies No fertilization on agricultural plots of slope >10°(with exception of solid manure). Limitation of fertilization on grassland of slope >7°(max. 80 kg N/ha in one dose of manure or 40 kg/ha in chemical fertilizers)

18. 6. Fertilization on water saturated, frozen and snow covered soil Fertilizers shall not be applied on agricultural land, if the soil is: • flooded • oversaturated by water • covered by snow layer higher than 5 cm • frozen

19. 7. Fertilization near watercourses • No fertilizers in a 3 meter strip near the watercourses and other waters bodies • No liquid fertilizers with rapidly releasable nitrogen in 25 m strip near the watercourses on agricultural plots of slope >10°

20. Controls Control bodies in the Czech Republic Selection of subjects to be controlled Results from controls

21. Controlbodies Central Institute for Supervising and Testingin Agriculture (CISTA) - cross compliance, incl. nitrate directive Czech Environmental Inspection - common water protection

22. Controls (CISTA) Selection of subjects to be controlled Risk factors: • Farms situated in vulnerable zones • Animal husbandry and its intensity • Distance of parcels from watercourses • Slope of the land • Actual situation in water pollution by nitrates • Protection zones of water resources • Organic / conventional farming • Results of previous inspections

23. Controls (CISTA) Results from controls Serious problems: • Ban on fertilization in winter period Less serious problems: • Using of fertilizers with regard to soil-climatic conditions of location Small problems: • Records of fertilizers use

24. The use of slurry on soil oversaturated by water Examples(CISTA inpections)

25. Examples(CISTA inpections) The application of slurry on snowcovered soil

26. Thank you for your attention