Control experiences:

Nutrient balances are crucial

Questions, shortcomings and debates about nutrient and feed balances are a constant issue. A missing balance on the inspection day can result in a reduction of CHF 200 in direct payments.

At the turn of the year, bio.inspecta reminds farms that they have the option of having their nutrient and feed balances pre-calculated by the inspection body.

Limiting livestock numbers and nutrient supply are crucial  
In principle, all farms that exceed the limit value for manure livestock units per zone or apply fertilisers containing phosphorus and/or nitrogen require a nutrient balance. The limit values for manure livestock units can be found in the Direct Payments Ordinance (DZV).

No feed balance for feed from own meadows 
The feed balance, like the nutrient balance, is required annually. Farms that only give their roughage consumers their own meadow and pasture feed are exempt from the balance requirement. Any purchase of fodder and the cultivation of arable fodder for feeding purposes on the farm itself make a grassland-based milk and meat production (GMF) balance sheet mandatory.

Are soil samples necessary? 
Farms that require a nutrient balance must be able to submit soil analyses. These must not be older than 10 years. If, irrespective of this requirement, a parcel of land has been in the "enriched" or "stock" supply classes since 1999, the farm must also have valid soil analyses. All plots with a minimum size of one hectare must be sampled (maximum 5 ha/analysis). Contiguous plots with identical cultivation may be combined for sampling. Areas where fertilisation is prohibited, less intensively used meadows and permanent pastures are exempt from this obligation. 

At least PH value, phosphorus and potassium 
The analyses must include at least the parameters pH value, phosphorus and potassium; for arable land, the determination of the humus content is also required. A missing soil sample generates a direct payment reduction of CHF 50. This sanction approach can result in a considerable financial burden for a larger farm that requires numerous analyses.

In autumn before fertilising
To ensure that the obligation generates a benefit for the farm, it is advisable to use the sampling probe in autumn. In any case, the sample should be taken before any fertilisation in order to prevent falsification of the results. It is important to push the sampling tube systematically and in a grid pattern into the soil of the different plots. This task is more pleasant when viewed as an opportunity for optimisation rather than a pointless bureaucratic obligation. Just like when removing dock weeds, you discover all sorts of things worth seeing as you stroll at a slower pace across the farm's own land.

Further information
bio.inspecta hotline (Mon - Fri  8am - 12. pm and 1 pm - 5 pm) for upcoming questions on the regulations
Application form Nutrient and feed balance calculation (in German) (bio.inspecta)
Bioregulations (in German) (Category Basics)
Control experiences series (in German) (Categroy Basics)