Liquid fert and new urea rules ?

[Clive]

My N use is usually 100% liquid and as a result includes urea as part of it's nitrogen (as most liquid N products do ?)

I assume the new 2024 rule that prevent urea use after 1st April also apply to liquid fertilisers and not just straight 46% solid product ?

Will liquid product now come with inhibitors ? if so I assume extra cost ? I don't like the idea of inhibiting soil biology personally so these are a no go for me I think

what are other liquid fert users planning ? I'm thinking we will have to drop liquid for later applications and move to solid AN ............ ironically more polluting for as far less accurately applied near boundaries

I think this is an issue that has slipped by most but in reality is going to mean a biog change for a lot of farmers Nitrogen use plans

 

[T Hectares]

Yes, liquid UAN falls under the same rule

I’ve not used Liquid for a few years now so will be 2/3rds Urea and the balance as AN

 

[Clive]

Yes, liquid UAN falls under the same rule

I’ve not used Liquid for a few years now so will be 2/3rds Urea and the balance as AN

think i'm going to have to do the same

we get much better yields on headlands with liquid so a real shame to have to go backwards to solids

 

[T Hectares]

think i'm going to have to do the same

we get much better yields on headlands with liquid so a real shame to have to go backwards to solids

All I can add to that is that having bought a new Hydto spinner with section control this year the Headlands look great !
Note to self, don’t leave it so long changing the spreader next time

 

[Zippy768]

My N use is usually 100% liquid and as a result includes urea as part of it's nitrogen (as most liquid N

I assume the new 2024 rule that prevent urea use after 1st April also apply

Will liquid product now come with inhibitors ? if so I assume extra cost ? I don't like the idea of inhibiting soil biology personally so these are a no go for me I

what are other liquid fert users planning ? I'm thinking we will have to drop liquid for later applications and move to solid AN ............ ironically more polluting for as far less accurately applied near

I think this is an issue that has slipped by most but in reality is going to mean a biog change for a lot of farmers Ntrogen

Urea Inhibitors can be purchased separately and added to your mix

 

[Clive]

All I can add to that is that having bought a new Hydto spinner with section control this year the Headlands look great !
Note to self, don’t leave it so long changing the spreader next time

we have a good solid spreader but you can never beat the 100% to the line cut off of a boom

with average field size small we have a lot of headland area - this will effect yield and be worse for environment IMO. yet another classic case of fixing one issue whilst making another worse !

 

[Clive]

Urea Inhibitors can be purchased separately and added to your mix

I just find it had to get enthusiastic about using a product that from what little `i understand of it inhibits soil biology when I have spend the last 15 years trying to make it more active !

I guess I need to learn more about this technology

 

[farmerfred86]

Am I right in thinking that by inhibiting N products you could potentially be making the problem worse by holding back the N use until warmer weather arrives and then its lost to the atmosphere??
Feb applications for example need to be in the soil and not held back?

 

[Clive]

who makes the inhibitors and what do they cost ?

 

[Clive]

Am I right in thinking that by inhibiting N products you could potentially be making the problem worse by holding back the N use until warmer weather arrives and then its lost to the atmosphere??
Feb applications for example need to be in the soil and not held back?

no idea - I have a huge knowlage gap here and I would wager I'm not alone yet we are all going to have to make decisions about this ASAP before we buy new season product requirements

 

[farmerfred86]

who makes the inhibitors and what do they cost ?

We've been using Limus clear for a couple of years to gain an understanding... however NIAB were quite clear that with normal weather they added almost no benefit to farm or environment. Disappointing and a bit corrupt when you consider the fert companies were involved in the discussion with DEFRA

 

[Clive]

We've been using Limus clear for a couple of years to gain an understanding... however NIAB were quite clear that with normal weather they added almost no benefit to farm or environment. Disappointing and a bit corrupt when you consider the fert companies were involved in the discussion with DEFRA

so yet another nail in UK farmers coffin putting us at yet more disadvantage to import competition !

I honestly am beginning to wonder why we bother

 

[David.]

So, just so I understand; is there a new offence on the statute books of spreading unprotected urea after 31.03 in any calendar year.
Or is it just cross compliance BS.

 

[hutchy143211]

We are solid fertiliser but my understanding from reading the guidance:
- solid urea uninhibited to 31st March then treated after.
- liquid the same rules as solid BUT uninhibited can be used for foliar applications WITHOUT inhibitor
- Uninhibited liquid urea can be used after the 31st for non-foliar if a FACTS qualified agronomist determines it will have the same or less impact as inhibited

 

[ajd132]

Here is my conspiracy theory
AN producers are delibrately making it expensive, to increase urea use in the short term. Which will create more ammonia emissions, the government will ban urea soon and the AN producers will have a captive monopoly on nitrogen.

 

[AlfM]

Sent by my supplier a month ago
There is an ongoing challenge over the liquid piece with Defra but as it stands today, from next year any Urea or Liquids applied between Jan 15th and March 31st do NOT need inhibitor. Anything applied from April 1st through to Jan 14th (Summer/Autumn/Winter) does need to be inhibited.

Liquid is the most flexible as you can take it all without inhibitor and add some into your sprayer in April only if you need it, or we can simply send the later used product out to you with the inhibitor included if you want it to remain simple.

 

[David.]

Here is my conspiracy theory
AN producers are delibrately making it expensive, to increase urea use in the short term. Which will create more ammonia emissions, the government will ban urea soon and the AN producers will have a captive monopoly on nitrogen.

That relies on the science showing that there actually are proven to be more ammonia emissions.

 

[ajd132]

That relies on the science showing that there actually are proven to be more ammonia emissions.

I think there will be because people will use it later but with inhibitors, which don’t work.
There is no denying the urea does increase amonia emissions IF used at the wrong timings.

 

[Punch]

The evidence is arguable.
However even DEFRA’s own figures only show Urea applications as around 8% of the problem of ammonia in the atmosphere. Will any inhibitors make much of a difference anyway?

 

[DieselRob]

@Clive there is Limus clear and an Omex version which I can’t remember the name of, both are just added to the sprayer as required when filling.

Although it does surprise me a little bit, given your pursuit of soil health etc, that you’re not using Foliar applied N, there is no requirement for this to be inhibited and even better it is claimed up to 12x more efficient. Joel Williams, Neils Corfield and Graham Sait are just 3 names in the regen world that advocate foliar nutrition.