Nitrate Vulnerable Zones

Again, I was briefly going to touch on that issue, but the point is well made. A requirement to plant a cover crop and then to plough it in before sowing a spring-planted crop would lead to additional costs in mechanical operations and labour, and it could increase soil damage through the possible the use of additional herbicides and the additional spring work necessary to establish seed beds. However, it would also be a direct encouragement to farmers to manage the land in such a way as to avoid the regulations—for instance, by harvesting after 1 September.