The nitrate leaching tool
A tool to estimate annual losses of nitrate at the field and farm scale using data provided by farmers during farm visits.
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The Environment Agency has developed a tool to estimate annual losses of nitrate (N) at the field and farm scale using data provided by farmers during farm visits. The tool will help the Environment Agency and farmers to identify more sustainable farming practices that prevent environmental pollution.
Few of the nutrient management tools currently available estimate N losses to the environment at the field scale. Farmers are therefore often unaware of the potential risks of their land management actions.
The Nitrate Leaching Tool (NLT) models N losses that could occur as a direct result of individual farm practices and evaluates a range of leaching measures that farmers can put in place. The NLT helps farmers, their advisors, environmental regulators and water companies to discuss these issues and promotes a collaborative approach for identifying solutions.