Agriculture Environmental Protection

Storage facilities in general

Storage facilities for farmyard manure must be functional and leak-proof. They must be constructed and operated in accordance with the Environmental Protection in Agriculture enforcement aid, module Constructional Environmental Protection in Agriculture, issued by the FOEN and FOAG.

Storage of liquid manure and silage juices

Slurry tanks must be fitted with permanently effective covers. For existing tanks, a refurbishment period of 2 years, in cases of hardship of max. 4 years, is stipulated.

Storage capacities for slurry and silage juices (including waste water entering the slurry pit) must be created for the following periods, depending on the altitude of the majority of the cultivated land:

a)    up to 700 m above sea level:      5 months;
b)    above 700 m above sea level:   6 months.

Storage of manure

Manure may only be stored on paved and sealed areas with drainage in
a slurry tank (or other sealed container).

Manure may only be stored on paved and impermeable areas with drainage into
a slurry tank (or other sealed container).

Manure may be stored on grown ground if

• the distance to surface waters[1], drained roads and paths, hedges and forests is at least 10 meters;
• it is ensured that no manure juices escape;
• the manure is covered (exception: if stored for a maximum of 7 days);
• the storage period is a maximum of 6 weeks;

Manure may not be stored

• in water protection areas, protection zones and areas;
• on drained areas;
• in hollows and steeply sloping terrain;
• in the vicinity of drainage shafts
• The storage of poultry manure is prohibited.

[1] measured from the top edge of the slope

General information on application

The implementation aid for Environmental Protection in Agriculture, module "Nutrients and use of fertilizers in Agriculture", of the FOEN and FOAG must be observed.

Fertilizers containing nitrogen may only be applied at times when the plants can absorb the nitrogen. The application quantities must be determined based on the nutrient balance of the respective area.

Slurry may only be applied if the soil is absorbent and receptive. It may not be spread if the soil is waterlogged, frozen[1], is snow-covered or dried out.

Manure may not be spread if the soil is waterlogged
or is covered in snow.

When spreading liquid recycled fertilizers (biogas slurry), the regulations for liquid manure apply. When spreading solid recycled fertilizers (compost), the regulations for manure apply.

Vegetation rest

During dormancy, no nitrogenous fertilizers such as slurry and manure may be applied. According to the GSchV, the vegetation rest period is defined as follows:

• up to 800 m above sea level:       December 15 - February 15
• above 800 to 1200 m above sea level:      01 December - 28 February
• above 1200 m above sea level:   November 15 - March 15

If the special needs of plant cultivation require fertilization outside of these periods, such fertilizers may only be applied if there is no risk of adverse effects on water bodies. In any case, the application requires the approval of the Office of Environment

The Office of Environment may, at the request of the Association of Farming Organizations (VBO), permit the application of farmyard manure during the dormant season in defined areas (map of drained areas) if the weather and temperatures permit.

Restrictions on spreading on certain areas

In principle, any application of fertilizers is prohibited in the water protection zone S1. No liquid farmyard fertilizers may be applied in S2. Further restrictions in the separate regulations for each water protection zone must be observed.

Within the watercourse area and within a strip of 3 meters wide¹ The application of fertilizers and PPPs is prohibited along surface waters.

Fertilizers and PPPs may not be applied along forests, hedges and copses in a 3-metre wide buffer strip.
Strips of green space at least 0.5 meters wide must be left along field paths and roads. No fertilizers or pesticides may be applied to these strips (but this does not count as ÖAF).

Farmyard manure may not be applied within nature conservation areas and areas under contract for rough pasture. When applying farmyard manure, the width of the buffer strip along a nature reserve must be chosen so that the nature reserve is not negatively affected by the nutrients applied.

The application of farmyard manure is prohibited on the eligible ecological areas (extensively used meadow and litter area).

An exception is the "less intensively used meadow". Here, the spreading of a limited amount of manure or compost is permitted (but no spreading of liquid manure).

[1] Screwdriver (no. 3 or 4) can no longer be pushed into the ground with a flat hand in several places on the plot.
[2] Map of permitted areas for farmyard manure application during a fertilization window

Storage of silage bales and sausages

Silo bales and sausages may only be stored on paved areas without drainage into surface water or on the usable fertilizable area.

Silo bales and sausages may be stored on grown ground if

• the distance to surface waters[1], hedges and forests is at least 3 meters;
• it is ensured that the foil of the silage bales and sausages is undamaged and that no silage juices leak out.

Silo bales and sausages may not be stored

• in water protection areas, protection zones and areas;
• in drained areas (Map of drained areas)
   

[1] measured from the top edge of the slope

From January 2023, Article 552(1) of Annex 2 of the Ordinance on Air Pollution Control (OAPC) stipulates that liquid manure and liquid fermentation products in the valley area and adjacent slopes must be spread using suitable methods with the lowest possible emissions. The corresponding areas are shown in Annex 2a of the LRV.

Unless otherwise provided for in the Liechtenstein Ordinance on Air Pollution Control, the Enforcement Aid of the FOEN on Environmental Protection in Agriculture, in particular the module Nutrients and Use of Fertilizers in Agriculture,

Inquiries at [email protected]

Irrigation of agricultural crops

For the requirements for mobile abstraction systems for the irrigation of Agriculture crops, please refer to the leaflet "Water abstraction from watercourses"