Ministers and Dept Showing Scant Regard for Derogation Farmers

IFA President Tim Cullinan said that Ministers Charlie McConalogue and Darragh O’Brien, are showing scant regard for farmers operating under a Nitrates Derogation, in their handling of the review of the Nitrates Action Plan.

“The Ministers have signed into law the possibility of a reduction in organic nitrogen from 250kgs per hectare to 220kgs per hectare, without any consultation with IFA. All the indications coming from the Department is that this is being taken as a done deal. Farmers are rightly furious at the approach the Ministers are taking.”

The revised Nitrates Action Plan, which came into force at the start of this year, placed significant additional restrictions on farmers including increased soiled water storage requirements; shallow cultivation rules for tillage; and banding of excretion rates for dairy cows. These measures, along with others added in the last number of years will all help protect water quality, but time is needed to see the results of these actions.  

“IFA has been calling for programmes such as ASSAP to be expanded to give farmers guidance on how best to protect water quality on their farms. This, along with measures such as further funding of slurry storage through TAMS and accelerated capital allowances, can result in real improvements in water quality.”

IFA Environment Chair Paul O’Brien said the slow release of information, along with the changing of the goalposts mid-season on shallow cultivation, points to a complete lack of understanding of the consequences of any kneejerk change in nitrates regulations.

“Not only is the Department giving in and changing the goalposts mid-season, we now have the farcical situation where they plan on giving derogation farmers three months notice that they may have to drop their stocking rates by over 10%. On the one hand, the Minister is telling us that any changes farmers undertake will be voluntary. On the other hand, he is tightening the screw to reduce stocking rates. It’s totally disingenuous,” he said. 

Tim Cullinan concluded, “we need Minister McConalogue and his officials to clarify what their position is on Nitrates. Are they going to fight to ensure we retain our derogation at current levels that helps us maximise our grass-based efficiencies or are they going to use Nitrates as a back door to putting the brakes on some of our most productive livestock and dairy farmers in the country”.