Drystock farmers cannot be made the fall guys in attempts to bolster water quality rules in the State’s bid to secure another nitrates derogation, according to the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA).
The association’s general secretary Hugh Farrell told the Irish Farmers Journal that clarity must be brought to any impacts that addressing the Habitats Directive, as part of the process of seeking another derogation will have on the “multitude more farmers not in derogation”.
Farrell stated that his concern for drystock farmers was heightened after he said that Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon met with some farming organisations, but not all, on issues relating to the nitrates derogation separate to the dedicated stakeholder group on the matter.
“A few groups have gone out on their own on this issue and that is something we don’t take lightly. The drystock farmer needs a voice in this too and their voice must be heard at the table and respected,” he commented.
Fertiliser allowances
The Nitrates Expert group’s newly-proposed lowering fertiliser application limits for “certain grassland farmers” risks “driving more cattle off the land”, Farrell continued.
“We can’t all be paying a speeding fine for someone else,” the ICSA boss said in reference to any lowering of fertiliser allowances for those not farming under derogation.
“The involvement of habitats in the derogation has taken us down a road we didn’t think we would be taken down, we are at a stage where we are wondering if habitat quality could be part of any deal to get the derogation across the line.
“The question is: when are they going to tell the over 110,000 non-derogation farmers how this could impact them?”
“Nobody is against getting another derogation, but the questions need to be answered – at what cost and where is it going to lead us.”
Officials tell Minister to take tougher stance with non-compliant farmers