The 2017 the BAT (Best Available Techniques) conclusions document, produced by the European Commission, sets out new requirements to monitor and report emissions from permitted farms for comparison with the BAT-AELs (BAT-associated levels).
This included a requirement for all operators to report emissions of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) excreted by livestock on an annual basis.
Until now, this requirement has been applied to permitted farms in the River Wye catchment only. However, from January 2025 this reporting requirement will be rolled out to all permitted farms across England.
These permitted farms will be required to annually report their nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) excretion levels. These requirements specify permissible levels of nitrogen and phosphorus excreted per animal place, and all permitted farms must comply with these levels.
This requirement aligns with the EA (Environment Agency’s) efforts to promote sustainable farming practices and ensure compliance with environmental standards. The NFU, in partnership with the EA, has been involved in the development of new tools to help minimise the burden for farmers to meet these requirements.
Who needs to report?
The following farm types must comply with the BAT requirements:
- poultry farms with more than 40,000 rearing places
- all permitted pig farms.
Most farms must report their nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) excretion levels annually. N&P reporting is not required for pullets, breeders and quails and P reporting is not required for ducks.
The requirements
Farmers must report their livestock N&P excretion levels using one of the following methods:
- Mass balance tools: The EA has developed new mass balance tools that simplify the calculation of excretion levels in different poultry production systems.
- Slurry/manure sampling results: Alternatively, farmers can report excretion levels based on slurry or manure sampling data.
Key deadlines
- January 2025: Reporting requirements begin.
The EA will release details on how to submit this information and further guidance on this process shortly.
New mass balance calculator tools have been produced by the EA and industry trade bodies to help farmers with this reporting requirement. The calculator tools for pigs and poultry are available on AHDB's website: AHDB | Environmental permitting regulations.
The reporting window is due to open from 1 January 2025 and will run until 28 February 2025 with retrospective reporting required for the 2024 calendar year.
Tools and resources
To assist in meeting these requirements, the NFU advocated strongly for better support for poultry producers to minimise any additional administrative burden.
The EA delayed the implementation of reporting by two years, except in the River Wye catchment, and has developed a simple spreadsheet tool that follows a mass balance calculation approach and is free to use.
The NFU provided feedback throughout the design process and urged the EA to make the tools as easy to use as possible so that farmers can easily calculate their BAT N&P emission levels.
NFU input
While the NFU acknowledges the necessity of adapting to evolving environmental standards and regulations, it’s essential that these requirements are proportionate and that any administrative burden is kept to a minimum.
The NFU has been actively engaged in discussions with the EA regarding the proposed changes. We have fed back on the potential impact of these changes on poultry farmers, and advocating for measures that reduce the administrative and cost burden on farmers.
While any regulatory change can pose challenges, it’s also important to recognise the potential benefits that may arise from being able to demonstrate robustly that the poultry sector is acting responsibly.
More accurate reporting to the EA helps demonstrate the high environmental standards achieved by producers, and can help enhance the reputation of the poultry farming sector.
If you need support with your N&P reporting, or have any issues with the process, please reach out to CallFirst on 0370 845 8458 for advice.
