Codes of Good Agriculture Practice (COGAP)

Under Review - The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development recently launched a consultation on the draft revised 'Code of Good Agricultural Practice for the Prevention of Pollution of Water, Air and Soil'

Protection of the environment is increasingly becoming an integral part of EU agricultural policy

Under the EC Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) EU Member States have an obligation to produce and promote Codes of Good Agricultural Practice as a means of providing all waters with a general level of protection against nitrate pollution.  The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) Codes of Good Agricultural Practice for the Prevention of Pollution of Water, Air and Soil (the Codes) provide practical guidance for farmers, growers, contractors and others involved in agricultural activities.  They describe the main management practices that can be adopted to minimise the risk of pollution of water, air and soil.  Implementation of these Codes by farmers is on a voluntary basis.  Failure to comply with the Codes does not give rise to criminal or civil liability but it may be taken into account in any legal proceedings involving a pollution incident.  Compliance with the Codes is therefore desirable and recommended.

Copies of the Codes were sent to some 32,500 farmers throughout Northern Ireland in May 2003.  Under EU Regulations, farmers in receipt of Less Favoured Areas Compensatory Allowances (LFACA) or agri-environment scheme payments (Environmentally Sensitive Area Scheme, Countryside Management Scheme) and Organic Farming Schemes must comply with Good Farming Practice in order to receive funding for these schemes.  One of the requirements of Good Farming Practice is that farmers must retain copies of the Codes.

The Livestock and Meat Commission require all Farm Quality Assurance Scheme participants to retain the Codes of Good Agricultural Practice.

Currently printed versions of the Codes are out of stock.  

Code of Good Agricultural Practice for the Prevention of Pollution of Water (PDF 3.84 MB)  (Protection of the environment is increasingly becoming an integral part of EU agricultural policy …)

Code of Good Agricultural Practice for the Prevention of Pollution of Air and Soil (PDF 1.62 MB)  (Pollution is unacceptable to people, it damages the environment and is harmful to wildlife …)

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