Agricultural Regulations
The Agriculture Regulations Team, deal primarily with three aspects of current legislation that affects farmers in Northern Ireland
Silage Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil (SSAFO)
The Control of Pollution (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 were brought into effect in July 2003 to cover the design, siting, construction and maintenance of Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil stores.
EC Nitrates Directive
The EC Nitrates Directive seeks to reduce or prevent the pollution of waters caused by the application and storage of inorganic fertiliser and manure on farmland. It is designed both to safeguard drinking water supplies and to prevent wider ecological damage. The Directive requires that farmers must implement an action programme of mandatory measures.
Groundwater Authorisations
The EC Groundwater Directive is in place to protect groundwater from future pollution and to reduce current pollution by prohibiting the discharge of
certain very dangerous substances into waterways. It lays down detailed rules for the discharge of other less-harmful substances.
For the majority of farms in Northern Ireland this means an Authorisation for the disposal of waste sheep dips and pesticides.
For further information on Agricultural Regulations contact:
Environment and Heritage Service
Agricultural Regulations Team
17 Antrim Road
Lisburn BT28 3AL
Tel: 028 92 623280
Fax: 028 92 623011
Related Document Links:
Please note that due to a change in Office location, the contact details for EHS Agricultural Regulations Teams in the following document links are now incorrect.
For Groundwater related documents the contact details are:
Groundwater Authorisations
Environment and Heritage Service
Agricultural Regulations Team
17 Antrim Road
Lisburn
BT28 3AL
Tel. 028 92 623278
Fax. 028 92 623011
For SSAFO related documents the contact details are:
SSAFO
Environment and Heritage Service
Agricultural Regulations Team
17 Antrim Road
Lisburn
BT28 3AL
Tel. 028 92 623102
Fax. 028 92 623011
- Groundwater Guidance notes for farmers and growers ( pdf - 400 KB )
- Groundwater General guidance notes ( pdf - 30 KB )
- Groundwater application form ( pdf - 503 KB )
- SSAFO Guidance document ( pdf - 2.8 MB )
- SSAFO Leaflet ( pdf - 263 KB )
- SSAFO Notification form ( pdf - 135 KB )