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Manure season in Lower Saxony: Farmers Celebrate, Environmentalists Raise concerns Amidst Regulatory Uncertainty
As of February 1, 2026, farmers in Lower Saxony are entering the annual “manure season,” a period welcomed as a “big holiday” for agricultural operations. However, this year’s submission of fertilizer is unfolding against a backdrop of legal ambiguity and environmental concerns, with environmental associations calling for stricter regulations to combat pollution of soil and drinking water.
While farmers celebrate “Manure New Year’s Eve,” environmental associations – to stay with the metaphor – are calling for a “ban on firecrackers”: becuase manure pollutes the soil and drinking water. and what is actually allowed is currently unclear.
Contractor Renke Dählmann, working in a grain field northeast of Oldenburg, explained the initial step in the process: “Using these samples, the laboratory can determine how much residual nitrogen is still in the ground after the winter.” This data is crucial for farmers like Christian Hilbers to plan fertilizer application, with theoretical possibilities beginning February 1st. “This is a big holiday for everyone who is fond of tractors and likes to move manure,” Hilbers said with a wink. “For us,the date marks the beginning of the year. And fertilization in spring is notably significant so that the plants can grow properly throughout the year.”
Though, the timing of fertilizer application is not entirely at the farmer’s discretion. Current regulations prohibit fertilizing on snow or frozen ground.Hilbers currently has sufficient capacity in his manure cellar, with space for four to six weeks, but anticipates a tightening of storage as winter progresses. Notably, farmers in Lower Saxony are not currently facing controls or sanctions regarding the amount of fertilizer applied.
This leniency stems from a recent ruling by the Federal Administrative Court, which found fault with Bavaria’s implementation of fertilization requirements and highlighted inadequacies in existing federal regulations. A revised regulation is now needed, not just in bavaria, but across Germany, including Lower Saxony. “From our point of view, it is therefore important that the federal government ensures legal certainty as quickly as possible,” a spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture in Hanover stated.
Environmental organizations like BUND are advocating for a more robust approach.”We need a speedy, legally compliant implementation of fertilizer law and polluter-pays accounting,” demanded Susanne Gerstner, the state chairwoman of BUND in Lower Saxony. Gerstner emphasized the need to support farmers employing water-conserving practices while holding accountable those contributing to nitrate pollution, which poses a health risk and places the financial burden of water treatment on all citizens.
A recent video report details the suspension of fertilizer restrictions nationwide. [Video: Country suspends fertilizer restrictions for now (2 min)]
The current situation also reflects long-standing criticisms from farmers regarding the methods used to assess nitrate levels. They argue that some monitoring wells are unsuitable and that insufficient research is conducted on option sources of nitrate input beyond agriculture.
The Federal Administrative Court’s ruling in October underscored these concerns, prompting Lower Saxony’s Agriculture Minister to appeal to farmers for patience.The need for updated federal regulations is paramount.
Farmers are already adapting to the evolving landscape. farmer Marco Gemballa, for example, is utilizing mats in his fields to precisely control the spreading behavior of his fertilizer vehicle. [Image placeholder: Photo of Farmer Gemballa and his fertilizer vehicle with mats].
