Updated: Replaced the document with an updated version of this guidance.
This guidance is for farmers in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) for the period 2013 to 2016. It explains how Defra interprets the requirements of the Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2008 (the Regulations). Ultimately, it is for the Courts to decide on the interpretation of legislation, but this document sets out our working assumptions in enforcing the Regulations. It also sets out Defra’s recommendations for good practice in complying with the Regulations.
18 November 2013: The guidance has been updated to reflect the outcome of residual farmers’ NVZ appeals since June 2013. It also clarifies sections of the guidance queried by stakeholders since June 2013 and corrects minor typographical errors.
In conjunction with the revised guidance we have produced a file of user-friendly blank tables from the guidance. The file allows you to use the tables you need, and for some tables avoids printing text surrounding them in the NVZ guidance.
They can be printed after their completion onscreen or before for manuscript completion as preferred.