Making best use of nutrients on the farm – a Farm Slurry and Manure Management Plan

Manures and slurries contain valuable plant nutrients.  Key to making best use of these nutrients is having sufficient storage capacity on your farm to be able to apply them at the most appropriate time, taking into account soil and weather conditions and when the crop can make best use of the available nutrients.

Producing a Farm Slurry and Manure Management Plan (FSMMP), previously referred to as a Farm Waste Management Plan (FWMP), can be used to calculate the volume of storage capacity needed to allow you to make best use of the nutrients in slurry and manures and also highlight where improvements could be made to make better use of current storage capacity.   All farms which produce slurry must have sufficient storage capacity to allow them to store slurry produced over the winter housed period to avoid the need to apply slurry over the winter months when the soil conditions may not be suitable or where there is insufficient crop need.

Specifically, farms within NVZs must provide a minimum of 22 weeks storage for cattle slurry, and 26 weeks for pig slurry. A FSMMP is likely to be a requirement of any grant application associated with slurry or manure management. More information on how to produce a FSMMP is contained in the Appendices; if in doubt, guidance on how to move towards an FSMMP should be sought via a suitably accredited agricultural consultant.