Farmers in England are being urged by the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) to use an inhibitor when applying urea fertilisers this spring season.
The agri-supply trade association said the use of an inhibitor for urea fertilisers will help avoid further government restrictions and help improve air quality.
AIC issued a reminder to farmers and growers that the agricultural supply industry and farming unions are committed to delivering “substantial ammonia emissions reductions” from the use of both solid and liquid fertilisers containing urea from April this year.
An industry voluntary approach agreed in October of last year means farmers and growers must use ammonia abatement treatments and inhibitors to counter the risk of the government seeking to further restrict the use of urea fertiliser with tough regulation.
AIC head of fertiliser, Jo Gilbertson, said: “The industry’s collective agreement with the government to use inhibitors, and therefore avoid the very real threat of an outright ban on urea fertilisers, was hard won last year.
“It is imperative that the entire farming industry maintains its clear commitment to support this arrangement in the face of the ever-present threat of regulation, which is driven by the UK’s legal obligations to cut ammonia emissions as part of international air improvement treaties.”
Fertiliser
In England, solid fertilisers, blends and compounds with more than 1% urea applied any time from April 1 through to January 15 each year must use effective protection to reduce ammonia emissions.
Farmers in England using liquid fertilisers with more than 1% urea applied any time from April 1 to January 15 each year must also use effective protection to reduce ammonia emissions.
Unprotected, uninhibited liquid fertiliser containing urea can only be applied between April 1 and the last application in autumn if agronomic justification is provided by FACTS-qualified farm personnel or advice specific to the crop has been provided by a FACTS-qualified adviser and been followed.
