The expected drop in the derogation from 250kg to 220kg of organic nitrogen per hectare (N/ha) will have huge economic consequences that will cause young people to walk away from the family dairy farm, Fianna Fáil TD Jackie Cahill has said.
Cahill told the Irish Farmers Journal that he is not waving the white flag for the expected reductions, adding: "I’m going to fight on my back to keep the derogation."
On Friday 30 June, the Department of Agriculture published the report it sent to the European Commission identifying water quality trends in areas where one or more criteria were not met.
The Commission had already stated when granting the derogation that where the criteria are not met the maximum stocking rate in the derogation should drop.
In response to this Cahill said: "I think we've been badly served, some of our senior department officials have taken this as a fait accompli.
"There's huge economic consequences from this, I have four examples of family farms where incomes will be cut by 51% to 18%.
"These are all farms of varying sizes from 200 cows down to 70 or 80 cows. Trying to attract the next generation in when you are being forced to contract will be extremely difficult and young people will walk away."
Processing
The cost of processing will also increase significantly, according to Cahill.
"We will have spare capacity in the system and that stainless steel has been put there at a very significant cost. A reduction in volume will have an impact on co-op's ability to pay a competitive price for milk," he said.
Cahill argued that common sense must prevail from Government and the Department of Agriculture.
"We have a unique system in Europe, there's no other country growing grass like us. Our cows are outside the whole time eating green grass and we are producing food in the most sustainable fashion," he added.
Read more
Nitrates derogation changes: what it means
Derogation limit set to drop to 220kg across majority of Ireland
The expected drop in the derogation from 250kg to 220kg of organic nitrogen per hectare (N/ha) will have huge economic consequences that will cause young people to walk away from the family dairy farm, Fianna Fáil TD Jackie Cahill has said.
Cahill told the Irish Farmers Journal that he is not waving the white flag for the expected reductions, adding: "I’m going to fight on my back to keep the derogation."
On Friday 30 June, the Department of Agriculture published the report it sent to the European Commission identifying water quality trends in areas where one or more criteria were not met.
The Commission had already stated when granting the derogation that where the criteria are not met the maximum stocking rate in the derogation should drop.
In response to this Cahill said: "I think we've been badly served, some of our senior department officials have taken this as a fait accompli.
"There's huge economic consequences from this, I have four examples of family farms where incomes will be cut by 51% to 18%.
"These are all farms of varying sizes from 200 cows down to 70 or 80 cows. Trying to attract the next generation in when you are being forced to contract will be extremely difficult and young people will walk away."
Processing
The cost of processing will also increase significantly, according to Cahill.
"We will have spare capacity in the system and that stainless steel has been put there at a very significant cost. A reduction in volume will have an impact on co-op's ability to pay a competitive price for milk," he said.
Cahill argued that common sense must prevail from Government and the Department of Agriculture.
"We have a unique system in Europe, there's no other country growing grass like us. Our cows are outside the whole time eating green grass and we are producing food in the most sustainable fashion," he added.
Read more
Nitrates derogation changes: what it means
Derogation limit set to drop to 220kg across majority of Ireland
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