In the interests of water protection, farms are required to have sufficient storage capacity of the specified quality for farmyard manure. They must also dispose of, treat or recycle the different types of wastewater in accordance with the state of the art.

For the application of fertilisers to be compatible with the environment, it is important to know the quantity applied, the weather conditions, and the characteristics of the soil and its nutrient reserves.

Nitrates, phosphorus, pesticides and veterinary drugs are substances or groups of substances that are regularly used in agriculture. They easily enter waterways, either on a localised basis or diffusing via percolation, leaching, surface runoff and erosion, and may pollute the water.

Guidelines for environmental protection in agriculture deals with all the important aspects of agriculture relating to the protection of water, air and soil.