Scottish Government

Farm Waste Management Plans (FWMP)- Guidance on SEERAD Scheme requirements

This leaflet provides guidance on the specific information that is required in a FWMP submitted in support of a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone Grant Scheme (NVZGS) application, or to merit ranking points under the Rural Stewardship Scheme (RSS) or the Organic Aid Scheme (OAS). It is not intended as a 'How to Guide' but does make reference to relevant guidance material. SEERAD will regard a FWMP as being prepared to a professional standard provided that the plan is prepared accurately, in accordance with this guidance.

Farms where slurry is produced are subject to the Control of Pollution (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) (Scotland) Regulations 2001. These Regulations are enforced by The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and any proposals that involve substantial improvement or replacement of slurry storage facilities (including silage or midden effluent tanks) should be discussed with them at the earliest possible stage. SEPA may have additional requirements regarding the content or preparation of your FWMP.

If you farm land within an NVZ you will find that many of the calculations will also be required for the preparation of your Fertiliser and Manure Plan, which must be prepared annually by all farmers with land in an NVZ. The free guidance pack 'Guidelines for farmers in nitrate vulnerable zones' provides appropriate reference material and step-by-step guidance for calculating much of the required information. Useful guidance is also contained within the 4-Point Plan and the PEPFAA Code.

Compiling your plan under the headings suggested below will ensure that all of the relevant information is entered and considered. This will also make it easier for us to check that all of the required information is contained within the plan.

1. Introduction

The introductory section should identify the person who has drawn up the plan and include a brief description of the farm business, which covers:

· the individual holdings that make up the business

· the area of the individual holdings

· the typical stocking and cropping on each holding

· whether the holdings are situated within an NVZ

The introduction should also identify the particular holding or holdings that are being included in your OAS/RSS application, or in the case of NVZGS applications, the holdings where a storage need has been identified. This should provide summary descriptions of:

· existing collection and storage systems, including an assessment of their age and condition

· any deficiencies that have been identified in the existing system

· the proposed solutions including details of the number of days storage that will be provided, if additional storage is required

2. Quantities of livestock slurry and manure produced

Calculations in this section will use the typical numbers of livestock on the holding throughout the year.

Note for NVZGS applicants: This will also help you to complete Q5.2 on the application form.

This section should cover all slurries and manures produced by livestock on the holding/s where grant aid is being sought and any form of organic nitrogen, for example poultry manure, sewage sludge or exempt organic wastes that are imported onto the holding/s. All calculations must be shown to demonstrate where the figures have come from. The following categories of material produced will typically have to be considered:

· FYM

· Slurry/ poultry manure

· Dirty water (from yards, dairy washings etc)

· Silage effluent

This information is best presented in a table format.

It is important that the plan identifies the total amount produced on a month by month basis. The following information can then be derived:

· the total amount of slurry/poultry manure produced during the closed period if farming on sandy/shallow soils within an NVZ

· the total amount produced during the housing period

3. Existing collection and storage systems

This section should provide a detailed description of the existing collection and storage systems. Information should be provided about:

· the age and condition of the system (and an assessment of its likely lifespan)

· the storage capacity of all elements of the system

· how the system is operated (including maintenance of 300mm 'freeboard' for slurry tanks or 750mm 'freeboard' for lagoons and earth banked compounds. See the PEPFAA Code)

· the method/s of applying livestock slurries and manures to land including the capacity of the spreading equipment and the application rate at which it operates i.e. application rate expressed in m³/hr

· if contractors are used for spreading then this must be stated in the plan along with a description of the type of equipment used

· a diagram of the farmyard should be produced that clearly identifies the existing areas of effluent production and storage. This should show all of the yard areas that drain to the storage system with an indication of the area (m²). Clean and foul drainage systems should be clearly identified.4. Land Details.

All of the individual holdings that make up the farm business should be listed in this section along with the area of potentially available spreading land associated with each holding (note that organic manure should not be spread on areas of rough grass). The area of land within an NVZ should be identified for each holding. You must also show the area of the available land within the NVZ that is predominantly sandy or shallow.

Note for NVZGS applicants: For the holding/s where the proposed work is to be carried out, you must show the area of land that is available for spreading outwith and within the NVZ. Information extracted from this section will enable you to complete Q5.1 on the application form.

In the context of this guidance the land to be considered for availability is all of the land that is normally associated with the premises for which the FWMP is being prepared. The assessment of availability for most fields will be based upon the criteria set out in 'Guidelines for farmers in nitrate vulnerable zones, the 4 Point-Plan and the PEPFAA Code'. Where land is not contiguous with that holding then the assessment of its availability may not be so straightforward as it may be geographically unavailable. We have deliberately not defined a distance at which land is deemed to be unavailable, but plans must identify any such areas and provide justification as to why they are or aren't available for spreading.

4.1 Land available for spreading

A farm map must be prepared for the holding where the work is to be carried out. The map should be colour coded to categorise each field in terms of the environmental risk associated with spreading organic manure.

Detailed guidance on the steps required to produce a suitable map can be found in the '4-Point Plan' and PEPFAA Code.

5. Cropping

A description of the typical cropping on the farm should be included. The effect of cropping on the availability of land for spreading organic manure should be considered in this section.

6. Land availability schedule.

A monthly land availability schedule should be prepared. This should take account of:

· the risk associated with spreading in each field at different times of year

· closed periods on sandy/shallow soil if within an NVZ

· the unavailability of fields due to the crop type being grown or the proposed management in the year ahead

· farm and field based limits imposed by the NVZ Regulations or the Organic Standards

7. Available spreading days

Details must be provided of the days likely to be available for spreading each month. This should take account of average monthly rainfall, dry days and frost days. This information is available from the Meteorological Office or it can be on the basis of your own knowledge and experience of local conditions.

8. Accumulated production and distribution

This section matches the amount of livestock slurry and animal manure produced against the amount that can be spread on a monthly basis. Account will have to be taken of the maximum application rates set out in the PEPFAA Code and the Farm/Field based limits specified in the NVZ Action Programme Rules and the organic standards. This section will highlight any months in which the accumulated production exceeds the storage capacity of the existing systems.

Note for NVZGS applicants: Information from this section will enable you to identify the time of year when additional storage is required. This will enable you to select the appropriate option at Q5.3 or Q5.4 of the NVZGS application form.

9. Proposed solutions

This section should consider and compare all of the possible solutions to any problems that have been identified. If the system includes irrigation systems for the disposal of dirty water, then consideration will have to be given to the size of the storage tank. This must be able to cope with storm rainfall events (normally based max 48 hr rainfall figures averaged over 5 years for your area). Slurry reception pits that receive drainage water must also meet with this requirement.

Don't overlook simple solutions such as diverting clean water away from the slurry storage system. The 4-Point Plan gives useful guidance in this regard.

A revised plan of the farmyard should be produced that shows the site of the proposed works and any changes to the drainage system.

10. Contingency Plan

This section must consider the steps that would be undertaken in the following circumstances:

· Extended periods of very wet weather

· Land is frozen hard for extended periods

· Power/mechanical failure of any part of the system

· A potentially polluting incident arising during slurry spreading operations (e.g. contact SEPA via its Hotline number, 0800-807060)

11.Conclusions

This section should provide a summary of the existing storage system and any deficiencies that have been identified. It should also detail the solutions that are to be implemented and the number of days storage that will be available following their implementation.

Once a Farm Waste Management Plan is drawn up, it must be followed in practice. The FWMP will enable good management practices to be implemented and minimise the risk of pollution. When circumstances change on the farm, the FWMP must be modified to cope with the changes.

It is a working document, which needs to be regularly updated to take account of changing circumstances, cropping patterns etc. It is not something to be shelved and forgotten.

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