The sector handles a number of issues; some of interest to the general public as well as to the AIC membership:

Position Papers
These are produced based on advice from AIC Committees and are used to consolidate members views, summarise the issues and position that AIC is taking in negotiations.

Government Consultation Responses
These are formal written responses to Government consultations.

Fertiliser Industry Assurance Scheme (FIAS)
Click here for further information on FIAS

Fertiliser Quality

Non-nutrient content of fertiliser raw materials
Further details -  non-nutrient content of inorganic fertiliser raw materials    (30kb)

Farming Methods

For summary information in respect of nutrient use see pdf below:
An Integrated Approach    (24kb)

For further information on Integrated Farming, also see http://www.leafuk.org

Also see publication of the Royal Agricultural Society of England - 'Shades of Green' http://www.rase.org.uk/activities/publications/index.asp

Balanced Fertilisation

Assessing Soil Fertility

See pdf below 'Assessing Soil Fertility:The importance of Soil Analysis and its Interpretation' published by the Potash Development Association

PDA Soil Analysis book    (84kb)

Phosphorus in Agriculture and in Relation to Water Quality

Overview: Phosphorus in Agriculture and in Relation to Water Quality    (110kb)

Nitrate and Health

The chemical fact sheets of the latest edition of the WHO's Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality, used by countries around the globe as the basis or regulations and standards to ensure water safety, states 'the weight of evidence is strongly against there being an association between nitrite and nitrate exposure in humans and the risk of cancer". In addition to disavowing the alleged link between nitrites and nitrates and cancer, the volume stresses that "methaemoglobinaemia' infants (so called 'Blue Baby Syndrome' that correlates with high nitrite concentrations) also appears to be associated with simultaneous exposure to the microbial contaminants.

See page 49 http://www.who.int/water_sanitation­_health/dwq/gdwq3/en/index.html

• For the Linking Environment And Farming 'Whole Farm' Audit - electronic management package click here
   
• For 'PLANET' - electronic sofware package for planning fertiliser recommendations (Defra and Environment Agency 2005) click here
   
• For a downloadable version of the Fertiliser Recommendations for Agricultural and Horticultural Crops (RB209) click here
  Telephone order line No: 0870 600 5533