Muck Spreading in Melton Borough
In a rural area like Melton Borough, muck spreading is an essential agricultural practice. It plays a vital role in maintaining soil fertility and supporting crop production. However, we understand that the associated odours can sometimes be unpleasant.
Why Muck Spreading is Important
Muck spreading involves applying materials such as animal manure, slurries, or treated sewage sludge (bio-solids) to agricultural land. These materials:
- Enrich the soil with essential nutrients.
- Improve soil structure and fertility.
- Support sustainable farming practices and food production.
The spreading of pre-treated sewage sludge and other organic materials is legal, widely practiced, and often the best environmental option for managing such wastes.
Living in a rural area
As part of life in the countryside, the odours from muck spreading are often unavoidable. While these smells can be unpleasant, they are usually short-lived and are an inherent aspect of farming in rural communities.
Regulation and Council Powers
Melton Borough Council has powers under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to address nuisance caused by unreasonable agricultural practices. We can investigate if:
- Odours persist for prolonged periods or are particularly severe.
- The farmer is not following the Code of Good Agricultural Practice or other relevant guidelines.
Best Practicable Means and Farmer Compliance
Farmers are expected to follow industry codes of practice to minimize disruption to nearby residents. This includes:
- Storing and spreading materials appropriately.
- Avoiding spreading during unsuitable weather conditions (e.g., high winds or extreme heat).
- Keeping a reasonable distance from residential areas.
Farmers can use the legal defence of best practicable means, meaning they are taking all reasonable steps to minimize odour while performing necessary farming activities.
Reporting a Concern
If you believe muck spreading is causing unacceptable odours:
- Assess the Situation: Odours are often temporary and should dissipate after a short period.
- Contact Us: If the smell persists or you suspect improper spreading practices, you can report it to us.
What Happens Next?
When a report is received:
- A council officer will investigate to determine if the issue results from spreading practices that fail to meet accepted standards.
- We will contact the farmer or responsible party to address the issue informally where possible.
- If informal resolution fails and the odour constitutes a statutory nuisance, enforcement action may be taken.
Working Together for Our Community
The council works to balance the needs of the farming community with the quality of life for residents. By following best practices, farmers can minimize disruption, and residents can better understand the necessity of these activities for sustainable agriculture.
Spreading should always be undertaken in accordance with the best practice guidance in the Defra Code of Good Agricultural Practice (subsection 5.4).
The best conditions for spreading is when the air mixes to a great height above the ground, cause the odours to be diluted quickly. Which are typically sunny, windy days, followed by cloudy, windy nights. You should avoid spreading at weekends, bank holidays, in the evening or in fields close to and upwind of houses, unless it is solid manure that has been well composted, or slurry that is to be band spread, injected or has been treated to reduce odour. To reduce odour and ammonia loss:
- use a band spreader or injector to apply slurry.
- otherwise, use broadcast equipment with a low trajectory and large droplets. Broadcast slurry (by splash plate) should be incorporated immediately, and at the latest within 6 hours.
- if solid manure, it should be incorporated as soon as possible and at the latest within 24 hours.
Livestock manures should not be applied when:
- the soil is waterlogged
- the soil is frozen hard
- the field is snow covered
- heavy rain is forecast within the next 48 hours.
Livestock manures and dirty water should not be spread:
- within 10 metres of any ditch, pond or surface water; or
- within 50 metres of any spring, well, borehole or reservoir that supplies water for human consumption or for farm dairies; or
- on very steep slopes where run-off is a high risk throughout the year
Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) are areas designated as being at risk from agricultural nitrate pollution. Defra undertakes a review of the designated NVZ areas every 4 years to account for changes in water quality.
Find a designated Nitrate Vulnerable Zone
You can check if you are in a designated area by entering your postcode into the Environment Agency’s mapping tool.
You may store some types of solid manure in temporary field heaps. This option applies to poultry manures and other organic manures if:
- They are solid enough to be stacked in a freestanding heap
- They do not give rise to free drainage from within the stacked material.
If you choose to store manure in temporary field heaps, you need to comply with the following rules.
You must:
- Cover any poultry manure without bedding/ litter that is stored in a field heap with an impermeable sheet;
- Move any field heap at least every 12 months;
- Leave a 2-year gap before returning to the same site;
- Keep a record of the sites used for field heaps and the dates of use.
You must also ensure that you do not build or maintain a field heap:
- Within 10m of surface water (including ditches) or land drain;
- Within 30m of surface water (including ditches) if the land slopes steeply (12 degrees (1 in 5 or 20%) or greater);
- Within 50m of a spring, well or borehole;
- On land likely to become waterlogged;
- On land likely to flood.
The field heap site must occupy as small a surface area as possible, but be sufficient to support the mass of the heap and prevent it from collapsing.
More information about using nitrogen fertilisers and manures in NVZs, and other cross compliance requirements can be found on Farming Advice Service (FAS).
Phone:03000 200 301 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm)
Email: advice@farmingadviceservice.org.uk
Report an Environmental Incident
If you suspect a temporary manure heap in designated area is non-compliant with the NVZ rules please call the Environment Agency Incident Hotline on:
Telephone: 0800 80 70 60