Press release
A new Tried & Tested nutrient management plan has been launched to help farmers and growers plan their fertiliser and manure use, meet increasing regualtory demands and protect the environment.
The new, easy-to-read plan has been completely updated to offer practical advice for farmers to aid better record-keeping, meaning crop nutrition needs are more easily met and, through farmers optimising fertiliser use, potentially save money.
Work by leading industry organisations the AIC, CLA, FWAG, LEAF and the NFU also includes a new website www.nutrientmanagement.org - which will provide examples of best practice, as well as downloadable Tried & Tested worksheets and a wealth of other information and advice tools on nutrient management.
Best practice through the Tried & Tested plan will be taken direct to farmers through a series of workshops and events in England. Its publication is part of a partnership project with the England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative to make nutrient management advice more widely available to farmers.
The industry group said: "Fertiliser use is becoming increasingly complex - and expensive. This Tried & Tested approach is just what the industry needs to provide a simple, practical way to plan and record nutrient use. It will take farmers through the process of nutrient management planning and complements the Defra manual on the latest guidance for NVZs.
"The plan should be particularly valuable for livestock farmers in making better use of manures to help ensure their farms are more cost effective and minimise any potential adverse impacts on the environment."
Included in the plan is:
• season-by-season planning notes for both arable and grassland crops
• A series of worksheets covering farm planning as well as field applications of both manufactured fertilisers and manures
• Useful contact points for more information make the plan a more comprehensive guide in itself to good practice in nutrient management.
Tried & Tested will be rolled out to farmers over the next two years. The plan will be assessed to test its effectiveness, with the long term aim of seeing efficient fertiliser use and good practice across all farms in England.
For more on the plan click here
Notes to editors:
1. Tried & Tested takes account of the latest knowledge that has been developed with the Defra Fertiliser Manual (RB209) as well as the latest guidance for NVZs, and can be used in conjucntion with both.
2. The Plan has been brought together by an industry-team that includes the NFU, FWAG, LEAF, AIC and the CLA. Further support has been provided by the statutory and voluntary levy boards, as well as the regulators and others. Publication of the Tried & Tested Nutrient Management Plan is part of a partnership project with the England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative to make nutrient management advice more widely available to farmers.
3. For hard copies of the Tried and Tested Nutrient Management Plan, please call 02476 858 896 or email nutrientmanagement@nfu.org.uk - download a plan online here.