Advice for farmers wishing to appeal against the designation of their land within a nitrate vulnerable zone (NVZ) is now available on the DEFRA website.

The new Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations come into force on 1 January 2009.

Appeals may be made free of charge on either or both of the following grounds:

• The land does not drain into water that has been identified as polluted.

• The land drains into water that should not have been identified as polluted.

The closing date for submitting an application is 31 January 2009.