Nitrates derogation provides farmers an opportunity to farm at higher stocking rates when they take extra steps to protect the environment. In effect a farmer must not exceed 2 dairy cows per hectare without a derogation but can farm at almost 3 cows per hectare if approved for a derogation. The derogation is available to grassland farmers on an individual basis and permits farmers up to 250 kgs of organic nitrogen per hectare without the derogation. Where the number of herd derogation's is less than or equal to 5 per LEA (Local Electoral Area) we replaced the LEA with the following symbol: <=5 for GDPR reasons.