IMPELEMENTATION OF THE NITRATE DIREKTIVE IN LITHUANIA

Prof. Albinas Kusta, Lithuanian University of Agriculture ( laa@nora.lzuu.lt)
Dr. Antanas Sigitas Sileka,Water Management Institute of the Lithuanian University
of Agriculture ( sigitas@water.omnitel.net)

Abstract

The eutrophication of the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea are the main problems caused by pollution of surface waters by nitrates. Nitrates are one of the key factors influencing the eutrophication of the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea. During the last decades the role of species of algae typical of eutrophic lakes has increased dramatically in the Curonian Lagoon. Based on this data it is concluded that the Curronian lagoon is a highly eutrophied water body. Thus the eutrophication status of the lagoon and the role of nitrates in the eutrophication are central issues in the implementation of the Nitrate Directive in Lithuania.

Analysis of available data indicates that deep groundwater in Lithuanian is not polluted by nitrates but nitrates pollute water in a number of shallow dug wells. The analysis of water quality in shallow dug wells found that nitrate concentration exceeded 50 mg/l in almost 37% of the wells examined of more than 5700.

Because of eutrophication of Curonian lagoon and pollution of shallow dug wells Lithuanian Government has undertook to implement Nitrate Directive in the whale territory of Lithuania, to elaborate Code of good agricultural practices for Lithuania (CGAP) in 2000 and to develop the Action Programme for Reduction of Nitrates Losses from Agriculture in 2003.

When implementing Nitrate Directive Lithuanian Government enforced environmental requirements for newly established or expanding farms and established prevention measures on agricultural land to ensure that pollution does not increase when agriculture recovers.

Problems in Lithuanian agriculture and mandatory rules for implementation of the Nitrates Directive are described in this article. Besides mandatory rules their substantination is presented.

Introduction

Large amount of nitrogen and phosphorus from urban and agricultural territories influenced by anthropogenic and natural factors are carried to lakes and seas waters.

Agriculture and fertilization was recognised as one of the main causes of nutrient losses in the second half of the 20th Century (U.Kremser et al., 2002). Reduction of nutrient run-off from diffuse sources because of dispersion in large territories is more complicated problem than treatment of concentrated industrial and municipal wastewaters.

The main precondition for development of prevention measures that would substantially reduce nutrient losses with rather low investments is good knowledge of processes going on nutrients pathway from plant or animal to rivers and seas in various soil and climate conditions as well as dependence of nutrient losses on types of agricultural activities. Because of magnitude of factors influencing nutrient migration and transformation on this pathway problem is very complicated.

The annual total nitrogen input into Baltic Sea is estimated to be around one million tons and phosphorus input around 50 thousand tonnes (U.Kremser et al., 2002). To reduce nutrient losses Council Directive of 12 December 1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources (91/676/EEC) was adopted. This Directive has the objective to reduce water pollution caused or induced by nitrates from agricultural sources and to prevent further such pollution.

Member states must identify Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NZVs) on the basis of monitoring results, elaborate Codes of Good Agricultural Practice (CGAP) that are mandatory in the NVZs and voluntary outside, to develop Action Programmes with mandatory measures on agricultural practices in NVZs and to organize Monitoring of water quality according to specific requirements.

This article is devoted to describe agricultural situation in Lithuania and measures based on scientific investigations to decrease nutrient losses from agriculture.

PRESENT SITUATION IN LITHUANIAN AGRICULTURE.

Territory of Lithuania is 65.3 thousand km2, population 3499 thousand, of which 2332 thousand lives in cities and 1152 thousand in countryside (33.4%). Forests cover 2008.5 thousand ha (30.8%). Area of agricultural land is 3487.4 thousand ha (82% of agricultural land is drained), area of arable land – 2930.4 thousand ha, of which 919.3 thousand ha makes up cultivated grassland (31.3%). Meadows and natural pastures are on the area of 497.8 thousand ha (14.3% of agricultural land).

Average annual number of employees in agriculture is 242 thousand (13.2% of total labour force). Agriculture accounts for 5.1% of total GDP. Crop production makes 55 and animal - 45% of total agricultural production. Grain crop production makes up 23.9, milk – 20.9, livestock – 20.2 and pigs – 12.5 % of total agricultural production. Agricultural produce import share in total turnover of foreign trade is 8.0 and export - 10.1%.

Because of direct payments for crops from EU for registered farmers number farmers has increased to 271 thousand in 2003. Average size of farms is increasing. This process has accelerated when payments for early retirement and termination of farming started.

Number of Agricultural Companies (former kolkhozes) is decreasing because of less effective production and poor management by former kolkhoz administration.

Area of the main crops has changed very little; some decrease can be noticed only for grain production (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Changes of crop area in all farms.
Source: Anon (2006A)

Because of low prices for meat and milk number of cattle and pigs decreased significantly (Figure 2). From 1997 to 2003 prices for grain has decreased 32.5% and for animal products 23.5%. Despite bigger decrease prices for crop, growing of crop is still profitable especially for sugar beet. Animal production was loss making all the time. Only since 2002 some profit is noticeable for animal products because of that some increase of production can be seen.

Figure 2. Changes of animal number in all farms.
Source: Anon (2006A)

Problems in agriculture

The main problems in agriculture are: low wholesale purchase prices, small and dispersed farms, old, worn and ineffective technique, lack of investments for assets and fertilizers as well as low education of farmers.

Low wholesale purchase prices. Despite significant decrease in purchase prices for crop products crop production is still profitable. Profitability (profit ratio to production cost) was 8.7 % in 2002 but animal production is still loss making. Low labor cost does not cover production direct cost because of low production efficiency.

Small and dispersed farms. Ownership was restored to grandchildren of owners’ in Lithuania. Because of that land was split to very small parcels and only now process of land consolidation has started. Another reason hampering land consolidation is absence of land market. Since Lithuania got EU permit not to sell agricultural land to foreigners to 2013 year most of owners are awaiting international agricultural land market expecting noticeable increase of land prices.

Old, worn and ineffective technique. Most of old Russian production technique is still in use. Only 9.7% of 121.5 thousand tractors are tractors made after 1995.

Lack of investments for assets and fertilizers. Only owners of large prosperous farms can get an advantage from EU structural funds. To buy technique farmers have to pay all price and after that to get reimbursement. Poor farmers cannot get warrant for bank credits for such big money. Lack of money limits procurement of fertilizers too (Figure 3). The amount of nitrogen used in agriculture in Lithuania per hectare of agricultural land much lower than the limits set in the Nitrates Directive.

Figure 3. Fertilization kg active substance per ha cropped area in AC
Note: There is no statistic data after 2001
Source: Anon (2006A)

Low farmers’ education. Most of farmers are elderly former kolkhoz workers with very narrow specialization. Many of them now apply for payments on early withdrawal from farming. Hopefully it will accelerate change of farmers to younger.

STATUS OF AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT.

Status Report on Implementation of the 1988 Ministerial Declaration reveled that none of the HELCOM Contracting Parties had achieved the overall N load reduction target of 50 % to the Baltic Sea (HELCOM, 1997). Nutrient load to the Baltic Sea from Lithuanian territory is presented in the table 3.

Phosphorus concentration in Lithuanian rivers has decreased below eutrophication level 0,05 mg/l. Ammonium nitrogen concentration is below permitted limit 0,39 mg/l too. Meantime concentration of nitrate nitrogen has increased in rivers of intensive agricultural production and still is 1.6 times higher than in 1990.

The eutrophication of the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea are the main problems caused by pollution of surface waters by nitrates. These problems are recognized internationally (HELCOM, 1998). Nitrates are one of the key factors influencing the eutrophication of the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea. During the last decades the role of species of algae typical of eutrophic lakes has increased dramatically in the Curonian Lagoon. Along with a shift in the dominant species, an increase in the level of summer water blooms by blue-green algae by more than one order of magnitude has occurred. Based on this data it is concluded that the Curronian lagoon is a highly eutrophied water body. Thus the eutrophication status of the lagoon and the role of nitrates in the eutrophication are central issues in the implementation of the Nitrate Directive in Lithuania.

Analysis of available data indicates that deep groundwater in Lithuanian is not polluted by nitrates. In shallow groundwater aquifers nitrate concentration reaches 50 mg/l limit in few locations but nitrates pollute water in a number of shallow dug wells. The analysis of water quality in shallow dug wells found that nitrate concentration was high or even very high (nitrate concentration exceeded 50 mg/l in almost 37% of the wells examined).

Increasing concentrations of nutrients, particularly nitrogen, in the agricultural territories is important factors that are deteriorating environmental quality and causing negative effects on ecosystems including eutrophication.

Because of eutrophication of Curonian lagoon and pollution of shallow dug wells Lithuanian Government (2000) has undertook to implement Nitrate Directive (1991) in the whale territory of Lithuania, to elaborate Code of good agricultural practices for Lithuania (CGAP) in 2000 and to develop the Action Programme for Reduction of Nitrates Losses from Agriculture in 2003.

BACKGROUND OF THE CODE OF GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES

According to the Nitrates Directive (1991) Member States have to prepare a Code of Good Agricultural Practices that should include at least:

1. Periods when the land application of fertilizer is inappropriate;
2. The land application of fertilizer to steeply sloping ground;
3. The land application of fertilizer to water-saturated, flooded, frozen or snow-covered ground;
4. The conditions for land application of fertilizer near water courses;
5. The capacity and construction of storage vessels for livestock manures, including measures to prevent water pollution by run-off and seepage into the groundwater and surface water of liquids containing livestock manures and effluents from stored plant materials such as silage;
6. Procedures for the land application, including rate and uniformity of spreading, of both chemical fertilizer and livestock manure, that will maintain nutrient losses to water at an acceptable level.

Member States may also include in their codes of good agricultural practices the following items:

1. Land use management, including the use of crop rotation systems and the proportion of the land area devoted to permanent crops relative to annual tillage crops;
2. The maintenance of a minimum quantity of vegetation cover during (rainy) periods that will take up the nitrogen from the soil that could otherwise cause nitrate pollution of water;
3. The establishment of fertilizer plans on a farm-by-farm basis and the keeping of records on fertilizer use;
4. The prevention of water pollution from run-off and the downward water movement beyond the reach of crop roots in irrigation systems.

The CGAP has been elaborated during 1998-2000 and published in Lithuanian and English in 2001 as separate publications. The Water Management Institute of the Lithuanian University of Agriculture coordinated this project. The Danish Environmental protection agency, the Lithuanian Ministry Agriculture and the Ministry of Environment financed elaboration of the CGAP. Experts from Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Chamber of Agriculture, Agricultural Advisory Service, Farmers Union, Association of Agricultural Companies, institutes of Agriculture, Animal Science, Agricultural Engineering and Water Management were involved in this work. Experts from Danish Agricultural advisory Service Centre provided methodological guiding during preparation of the Codes.

Two types of codes were included: mandatory rules taken from legislation and voluntary undertakings that sill are not included in Lithuanian legislation. A farmer who follows requirements of the CGAP not only improves the environment, but also achieves some profit that grants sufficiently good living standard to him.

MANDATORY RULES OF THE CGAP

When elaborating the CGAP care has been taken to define and enforce environmental requirements for newly established or expanding farms and implementation of prevention measures on agricultural land to ensure that pollution does not increase when agriculture recovers. These activities should ensure that the recovery of agriculture in the future would have a minimum impact on the environment. When providing financing for environmental investment projects it is of crucial importance to develop a system for the selection of clearly viable farms that will be able to compete in the future.

The following mandatory rules were included in the CGAP for implementation of the Nitrates Directive in Lithuania:

• Capacity and construction of manure storages;
• Rate and uniformity of spreading fertilizer and livestock manure;
• Periods when the application of fertilizer is inappropriate;
• Conditions for application of fertilizer near watercourses; Establishment of fertilization plans;
• Crop rotation;
• Animal density;
• Construction of shallow dug wells for drinking water;
• Use of plant protection products.

Capacity and construction of manure storages.

Present agricultural pressure on the environment in terms of livestock density and use of fertilisers is generally low in Lithuania. There are problems caused by pollution from large animal breeding farms (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Ntot and Ptot concentrations in drainage flow from barn territory

Before manure storage construction the total nitrogen and total phosphorus monthly concentrations in drainage flow from barn territory exceeded permitted limit (12.0 and 1.5 mg l-1) 8.5 and 5.0 times correspondingly. When manure-handling system worked properly concentration was bellow the permitted limit.

Therefore, in contrast to majority of EU Member states, CGAP in Lithuania focuses on elimination of the pollution from animal farms. The mandatory rule was transposed to the order of the Lithuanian Minister of Agriculture and the Lithuanian Minister of Environment (2003). The rule in the order postulates:

All the farms with more than 300 AU should establish manure storages within 4-year period after entering the EU. Farms keeping from 10 to 300 AU should establish manure storages within 8-year period after entering the EU except farms keeping animals on deep litter. Manures storage should be of such size that could contain livestock, horse and sheep manure of 6 month, whereas pigs and poultry – 8 month. Solid manure storage in farms keeping animals on deep litter should contain manure the same period as in farmyard manure storage.

When estimating the consequences of implementation of the CGAP, we calculated the least cost for construction of manure storages for farmers keeping more than 10 animal units (AU). Manure storage capacity and the least costs for the construction of manure storages are presented in Table 4 below.

As it can be seen from the table, total investments for the implementation of the measure amounts to 153.9 million EUR according 2005 prices.

Rate and uniformity of spreading fertilizer and livestock manure.

The highest manure fertilisation rate in the CGAP was determined incorporating requirement of Nitrate Directive (1991) into an order of the Lithuanian Minister of Agriculture (2004):

The amount of livestock manure applied each year, including manure left on fields after grazing, should not exceed the equivalent of 170 kg of nitrogen per hectare of utilised agricultural area.

From the Soviet time there is no tradition to apply measures reducing ammonium losses from manure. To strengthen attention on reduction of ammonium evaporation after manure application CGAP demand:

Solid manure should be incorporated into the soil within 6 hours after application.

Ammonium losses depend very much on manure spreading technique, especially urine, slurry and liquid manure. Russian produced solid manure and slurry broadcast spreaders do not distribute evenly manure. Rough estimates indicate that the total investments needed for the acquisition of manure spreaders is about 90 million EURO. These investment costs have depended on type of machinery available, geographical distribution of farms, and willingness of farmers to co-operate.

Periods when the application of fertilizer is inappropriate.

To reduce nutrient leaching organic fertilizer (manure, sewage sludge, composts, etc.) should be spread from drying up of soil in spring to freezing of soil in autumn when plant is growing. Therefore the mandatory rule in the order of the Lithuanian Minister of Agriculture (2004) demands:

Organic fertilizers should not be spread from 1 December to 1 April (on soils that are frozen, water saturated or are covered with snow).

In some cases, when there is no snow and the soil is not frozen, it is allowed to spread manure in cold season.

Conditions for application of fertilizer near watercourses.

To protect watercourses from direct fall fertilizers and plant protection products during spreading and washing to stream after spreading it is very important to establish water protection strips, width that should depend on land slop steepness. The mandatory rule included in the CGAP is as following:

When catchment area is less than 10 km2, width of the protective strip at streams and ditches should be:
         1 m – when stream side slope is < 5o;
         2.5 m - when streamside slope is 5-10o;          >5 m - when stream side slope is >10.o

Establishment of fertilization and crop rotation plans.

There are no problems with over fertilisation in Lithuania now but to prevent soil degradation and increase nutrient use efficiency fertilisation planning for large crop farms is compulsory according the order of the Lithuanian Minister of Agriculture and the Lithuanian Minister of Environment (2003):

All farms having more than 150 ha of agricultural land should establish fertilization plans for all crop fields. Fertilization plan should take into account: soil type, soil conditions, slope, climate, crop rotation, desirable yield, nutrient storage in soil, soil pH, requirements of special land use conditions. Records on fertiliser use should be kept in farm record book.

Investigations of nutrient losses showed that water quality in streams depend on ratio of grassland in agricultural watershed and structure of crops. Nutrient losses in typical Lithuanian agricultural watershed are presented in the table 5.

It is noticeable that the least losses are from grassland. There are no problems with perennial grassland ration for all Lithuanian agricultural land in general but for some farms it is. Because of that into CGAP was included mandatory rule:

In farms, having more than 15 ha of agricultural land, winter crops should cover 50% area.

To reduce nutrient losses from erosion in hilly areas preventive measures should be implemented:
On slopes < l 5° perennial grass have to cover no less than 35-40% of the total crop rotation area;On slopes 5-7° - perennial grasses have to cover at least 50% of the total crop rotation area;On slopes 7-10° - the area of perennial grasses has to cover at least 65-80%;
When slope is 10-15° only perennial grasses have to be planted.

Animal density.

There are no problems with animal density in the whole Lithuanian territory. Animal density does not exceed 0.5 AU per hectare but for some animal farms area of agricultural land is not sufficient. To meet requirement of Nitrate Directive (1991) for animal density Lithuanian Ministry of Agriculture and Lithuanian Ministry of Environment (2003) made recommendation of CGAP as a mandatory rule adopting an order regulating animal density:

Animal density should not exceed 1.7 animal units per hectare of agricultural land;When animal density is higher, one should procure additional land or to sell excess of manure to other farm, where animal density is less than the norm established.

Construction of shallow dug wells for drinking water.

Water quality in farm drinking wells is very poor in Lithuania. Nitrate concentration exceeded permitted limit 50 mg l-1 in 37% of examined farm wells in 1995. Testing of some measures to improve water quality in a farm with high nitrate concentration proved their effectiveness (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Water quality in farm well before and after implementation of water improvement measures.

Because of that in the order on Water protection from pollution by nitrogen compounds from agricultural sources (Ministry of Agriculture and Lithuanian Ministry of Environment 2003) were included measures on construction and maintenance of farm wells:

Dug well should be established in such a way that surface water or snow would not get into it;
70-80cm around the well 1.5 m depth clay layer should be temped down adding 20 cm gravel layer above;
Should not be any farm buildings, field toilets, slurry pits, manure piles, storages of fertiliser, pesticides and oil products as well as greenhouses and intensively fertilised kitchen gardens upstream ground water flow to the well;
Width of a dug well protective zone from living house – 7m, outhouse or greenhouse – 10m, barn and manure storage – 25m. Dug well protective zone should be covered by grass.

Use of plant protection products.

Nitrate Directive (1991) does not establish requirements on use of plant protection measures but this activity can make big harm for water. Lithuanian Ministry of Agriculture has adopted the order on Requirement for Good agricultural practices (2004). There is only one but most important item concerning use of plant protection measures in this order:

Only pesticides that are registered in the Republic of Lithuania is allowed to use.

List of registered pesticides is updated every year according recommendation of Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture.

Besides mandatory rules there are voluntary undertakings in the CGAP that are proposed to include in the contract when farmers apply for support from EU Structural Funds on implementation of agri-environmentl measures. The main farmers voluntary obligations are: covering of slurry stores, usage of suitable fertilization technique, sustainable usage of plant protection measures and implementation of advanced plant protection technology, undertakings for soil protection from erosion, preservation of landscape and biodiversity.

Voluntary obligations are selected for every farm separately by Lithuanian Agricultural Advisory Service according farm activity, soil type, land use, topography, etc.

REFERENCES

Anon (2006A) Agriculture in Lithuania. Statistical Yearbook (1996-2005), 2006

Anon (2006B) Joint Research Centre, Lithuanian Ministry of Environment (1987-2005) Annals of water quality (in Lithuanian). Vilnius, 2006.

Council Directive (1991). The protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources.

Helsinki Commission (1997) Third Periodic Assessment of the State Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea. Baltic Sea Environment Proceedings, 64B. 21 p.

Helsinki Commission (1998): Final Report on the Implementation of the 1988 Ministerial Declaration. Baltic Sea Environmental proceedings, No. 71.

Kremser U, Schnug E (2002) Impact of fertilizers on aquatic ecosystems and protection of water bodies from mineral nutrients. Landbauforsch Volkenrode 2 (52): 81-90

Lithuanian Government (2000). Concerning approval of negotiation position of the Republic of Lithuania (in Lithuanian). State news, No. 70. p.12.

Lithuanian Government (2003). State program on reduction of water pollution from agricultural sources (In Lithuanian). State news, No. 83-3792.

Lithuanian Ministry of Agriculture (2001). Code of good agricultural practices for Lithuania. Vilnius.

Lithuanian Ministry of Agriculture (2004). An order on Requirement for Good agricultural practices (In Lithuanian). No. 3D-79.

Lithuanian Ministry of Agriculture and Lithuanian Ministry of Environment (2002). An order on Water protection from pollution by nitrogen compounds from agricultural sources (In Lithuanian). State news, No. 1-14.

Lithuanian Ministry of Environment (2001). An order on approval of rules for establishment of protection zones and strips for water bodes (In Lithuanian). State news, 2001, No. 95-3372, 2002, No. 62-2533.