Revised nitrate regulations come into force on Friday (17 May). The new rules are more lenient in some respects, but also tighten certain regulations.

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Under the revised regulations on Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, boundary changes will mean that around 6,700 fewer farms will be affected by NVZ rules, which are in place to protect vulnerable water sources and reduce pollution. Moves towards greater leniency include allowing spreading of manure to within six metres of watercourses, if precision spreading equipment is used, and an end to requirements to keep certain records, if nitrate is applied in a low intensity situation.

The reduction in the area under NVZ requirements reflects declining nitrate pollution in some areas.

On the other hand, the closed period on medium or heavy land will be extended for a further two weeks (now lasting until the end of January). Temporary manure field heaps will also have to be as "reasonably compact as possible," according to new guidelines. However, moves on older stores for slurry, silage and fuel oil were abandoned in Defra's revisions; the proposed tightening of regulation on these stores sparked concerted industry lobbying.

NFU Deputy President Meurig Raymond said the new regulations present a mixed bag for farmers. He expanded on some successes for the farm lobby: "We are pleased that Defra has listened and backed down on proposals to introduce retrospective application of standards to older, 20-year-plus silage, slurry and agricultural fuel oil stores, and recognised the need to review the evidence on the condition of these stores."

Mr Raymond added, "The introduction of new rules for manure heaps appears to us to be completely unnecessary and not evidence based." He said the NFU would work with government agencies to ensure the impacts of new regulations on farmers are "minimal."

More information on the changes is available from Defra