Shropshire farmers urged to check slurry stores after months of heavy rainfall

Following months of heavy rainfall across the county, Severn Trent is asking farmers to check stores are operating as expected with no signs of leaks, to prevent slurry from reaching local watercourses.

Mark Biddulph, Severn Trent agricultural adviser, said the water company works closely with farmers in the region to collaboratively protect local water quality while enhancing farm productivity.

“We want to continue to support farmers in this way, working together to protect the quality of drinking water across the region,” he said.

“With the excessive rainfall in mind, which we know has brought huge challenges to the farming community, we’d like to encourage all farmers to check their storage practice is compliant with Storing Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil rules and when applying nutrients the Farming Rules for Water to avoid government fines.”

The rules state that you should have sufficient slurry storage for your farm system.

Storage must also have an expected lifespan of at least 20 years with maintenance.

Also stores must be at least ten metres clear of a water course, or 50 metres of any borehole, well or spring used for food production, drinking water, or within groundwater.

Farmers should not be spreading organic manure if the ground is waterlogged or flooded, or within 10 metres of a watercourse – six metres if using precision equipment – or 50 metres of a spring, well or borehole.

There are government grants available to help farmers invest in slurry stores, depending on the type of enterprise.

To find out more visit About the Slurry Infrastructure grant, who can apply and what it can pay for at gov.uk

Under the government’s Storing Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil rules (SSAFO), farmers and landowners could face a fine of up to £5,000, if slurry storage rules aren’t followed to avoid pollution.