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Effecting a Change in Practices
Farmers in the original (1996) NVZ designation were surveyed at the start of
designation and again in 2003. This re-survey (Scott et al., 2003) allowed an analysis
of the factors (e.g. previous cropping, fertiliser and manure use) taken into account
by farmers within the NVZs when making decisions about fertilisers. For all of the
main factors, farmers were asked to record the frequency with which they took that
factor into account. Responses were ranked from 1–5 (1 = always, 5 = never), so
that an average score could be calculated for each factor. All of these mean scores
were lower in 2003 than in 1996, for both fertiliser and manure planning. The biggest
change was in ‘recent application of organic manures’. This suggests that farmers
in the NVZs are taking the major factors into account more often, before spreading
manure/fertiliser on their fields. In 2001, the BSFP indicated that, although few
farmers used its tables of recommendations, 42% were aware of the RB209 fertiliser
recommendations book (Goodlass et al., 2002). In a later survey (2004) of farmer use
of decision support tools such as the RB209 and software such as MANNER and
‘your farm and NVZs’, farmers were less likely to have used the software than would
advisers/consultants (Chambers, 2004). In this survey, around 30% of arable farmers
and 20% of grassland farmers indicated that RB209 had a major influence on their
fertiliser planning.
Recent BSFP results (Goodlass and Welch, 2005) suggest that, for several crops,
N fertiliser inputs are being reduced in the presence of organic manures (Table 1).
Except for potatoes the amount of reduction is greater in farms within NVZ designated
areas.
Table 1:
Effect of NVZ designation on reduction in applied fertilizer N in
presence of manure
Crop NVZ N reduction (kg/ha)
Winter wheat No -4
Winter wheat Yes -16
Winter oilseed rape No -31
Winter oilseed rape Yes -45
Potatoes No +27
Potatoes Yes +22
Sugar beet No +27
Sugar beet Yes -19
Forage maize No -33
Forage maize Yes -74
Impact of Legislation
As indicated above, the NVZ legislation has had an effect on the factors farmers
take into account when making decisions and there is evidence (Scott et al., 2003)
that livestock farmers (especially those in the pig/poultry sector) have found this
legislation has had a big impact on their farming practices. It is too early to say
what impact Cross Compliance and the Stewardship Schemes will have on farmer
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