European community guidelines to reduce water pollution by nitrates from agriculture: An analysis of their impact on UK dairy farms

The impact of European Community environmental guidelines on a sample of UK dairy producers is simulated. The guidelines originate from a 1991 EC Directive, designed to reduce the pollution of water. Policy simulation uses Linear Programming models and an environmental sub-model to allow the assessment of policy in both economic and environmental terms. Imposing the guidelines with respect to total farm area leaves many farms unaffected. However many farms are severely restricted when the guidelines are imposed with respect to current spreading land. New data are used here to consider the extent to which this spreading area may be expanded. The guidelines are re-simulated on the basis of this new information, and the implications of the results for the control of waste application are discussed.