Nitrate vulnerable zones
Rules farmers and landowners must follow if their land is in a nitrate vulnerable zone (NVZ).
Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) are areas designated as being at risk from agricultural nitrate pollution. They include about 55% of land in England.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) reviews NVZs every 4 years to account for changes in nitrate concentrations.
The last review was in December 2020. It did not find substantial changes in the patterns of nitrate pollution in England, so the areas designated as NVZs remain the same for 2021 to 2024.
This collection of guidance explains:
- how to check if your land is in an NVZ
- NVZ rules
- how to prevent water pollution from your farm
NVZ designations and appeals 2021 to 2024
Find out:
- if your land is in a nitrate vulnerable zone
- how to appeal
Rules you must follow
If your land is in an NVZ, you must follow rules when you:
- use nitrogen fertiliser
- store organic manure
Preventing water pollution from your farm
You must take steps to prevent water pollution whether or not your land is in an NVZ.
Updates to this page
Last updated 1 January 2024 + show all updates
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Removed cross compliance requirements for England. Cross compliance no longer applies in England from 1 January 2024.
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Removed 2017 to 2020 information and added details about appeals process 2021 to 2024
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Link update
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First published.