Take care spreading slurry, farmers urged

08 April 1998

Take care spreading slurry, farmers urged

By FWi staff

WET weather at the end of winter has left many farmers with larger volumes of slurry than normal – igniting fears that some farmers might pollute their fields by overspreading slurry.

The Environment Agency has urged farmers to take extra care when using the umbilical cord system for spreading slurry because this can lead to over-application and fractures of pipework.

The agency advises farmers to follow the MAFF Code of Practice for Protection of Water, inspect stores of slurry and dirty water daily to check for signs of leakage, and check streams and ditches for signs of pollution.

Farmers should not spread waste on waterlogged land because it can run off into nearby rivers and streams. They should also avoid spreading waste on bare land, such as ploughed fields, because of the high risk of pollution.