A SLURRY time bomb is ticking for farmers in the Nitrate Vulnerable Zones of South-west Scotland, as the deadline for NVZ slurry spreading approaches but the sodden weather keeps them from emptying their brimming pits.

As The Scottish Farmer went to press on Wednesday, affected farmers only had until this Sunday – October 15 – to carry out spreading. After this date, putting nitrate-rich animal waste onto NVZ-designated land is a breach of the rules that will incur large cross compliance penalties.

But with the rain continuing to pour down midweek, the Scottish Government had yet to put in place a derogation to delay the spreading deadline, although a spokesperson said: “We are aware of some local concerns around slurry spreading in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones due to wet weather. We are currently working to assess the extent and scale of the issue and consider what the Scottish Government can do to help.”

One farmer in the Piltanton Burn catchment NVZ near Stranraer is NFU Scotland vice-president Gary Mitchell, of West Galdenoch farm, who said: “Farmers have been battering their heads against a brick wall trying to get government officials to wake-up and see the serious problems they have.

“They should get up off their chairs and come down to the farms around the Piltanton Burn and see what farmers are facing instead of reading rainfall figures, making comparisons that don’t add up," he fumed. "Farmers in Southern Ireland have been given a derogation but our government are not pro active. There is little sign of the weather relenting and the farmers involved – mainly the dairy boys – have to be given flexibility or there could be a real welfare issue.

“For the past month hardly a blade of grass has been cut in the South-west and with no silage cut there is no ground to spread slurry on. We need drastic action from the Scottish Government and we need it now,” said Mr Mitchell.

James McNeill, of Cairnpat Farm, Lochans, near Portpatrick, has a 1.2 million gallon slurry tower set to overflow and nowhere to put it: “In this area we are running out of time and patience. The rain has been horrendous and never ending.

“I have phoned the department at Ayr and Edinburgh, and also SEPA, but am getting nowhere. The department man said I could sacrifice a couple of fields but you don’t put slurry on waterlogged land or it will end up down in the burn.

“He also suggested I find a farmer outwith the NVZ area willing to take the slurry but they are all miles away," explained Mr McNeill. “Some farmers in the area with more shallow soil have also been willing to take the slurry, but that window closed on August 31.

“Its Wednesday and the rain has been lashing down for the past 24 hours. In such extreme conditions the government has to step in a do something. I have 500 cows and you can’t just turn off the tap.”

NFUS regional manager for Dumfries and Galloway, Teresa Dougall, said: "We have a huge problem on our hands. Our call for a derogation has fallen on deaf ears.

“We have one member who has still not been able to get his first cut of silage and time is running out. We have members who don’t have adequate slurry storage to see them through the winter and don’t know what they are going to do.”