Nutrients Action Programme (NAP) 2019-2022

The Nutrient Action Programme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019, commonly referred to as the NAP Regulations, covering the period 2019 to 2022 became effective on 11 April 2019. This programme replaces and updates the previous Nitrates Action Programme 2015-2018 and incorporates the previous Phosphorus (Use in Agriculture) Regulations (NI) 2014. The Action Programme has been renamed the Nutrients Action Programme (NAP) 2019-2022, as the previous Nitrogen and Phosphorus Regulations are now combined into a single set of Regulations.

The aim of the NAP is to better manage the use of agricultural nutrients on farms and reduce their impact on Northern Ireland’s water environment. In particular, it promotes better management of animal manures, chemical nitrogen and phosphate fertilisers and other nitrogen-containing materials spread onto land.