Around 1,500 farmers are being penalised for breaches of the nitrates limits in 2013. Letters have been issued to the farmers concerned and the Department is warning all farmers to check their nitrates position for 2014, taking any necessary and appropriate action to ensure they do not incur a penalty this year.

Organic nitrogen volumes on the farm cannot exceed 170kg/ha or, where a farmer is availing of the derogation, 250kg/ha. This is, in effect, the overall stocking rate of the holding and is established by comparing the livestock numbers for the holding with the area of land described on the Single Farm Payment application form. These farmers were advised earlier in the year that they had exceeded the limits.

There has been regular contact by the Department with farmers this year to raise awareness of potential breaches for 2014.

Text messages were sent to farmers registered with the Ag-food online system during the summer and whose profile suggested they were on course to incur or be close to a penalty. A further text message will be issued shortly to these farmers again, alerting them of their stocking rate to September.

Where a farmer is at risk of exceeding the limit in the current year, the Department urges that they talk to their adviser. Where additional short-term grazing has been secured or slurry exported from the holding, this will be taken into account in establishing the final stocking rate for the holding and possibly avoid such penalties.

Notification of these lands or slurry exports must be made before year-end to nitrates section Johnstown Castle, if they are to be taken into account.