Some 36% of farmers in a nitrates derogation plan on renting or leasing more land in 2024 than they did this year, according to the results of an Irish Farmers Journal survey.
Almost two-thirds of the derogation farmers participating in the survey stated that they will be impacted by the reduction to a 220kg organic nitrogen/ha maximum stocking rate next year.
Cutting cow numbers will be the next most popular action taken on surveyed farms, to bring stocking rates into line with the new limit – with 22% of respondents reporting that they will choose this option in 2024.
Farmers could choose more than one option in this section of the survey.
Some 17% of respondents claim they will reduce the number of beef stock kept on farm, while 15% said they plan on exporting more slurry and 12% signalled they will look to rear fewer replacement heifers to reduce stocking rates.
The least popular option to emerge was contract heifer rearing, which only 7% of respondents chose as an action they plan to take for 2024.
Fewer plan on culling cows
A previous survey conducted by the Irish Farmers Journal in September had similarly found that 35% of derogation farmers hit with a reduction in stocking rates were planning on sourcing additional land in 2024.
However, the most popular option chosen by the farmers surveyed in September – selected by 37% of respondents – had been to cull cows, the majority of which were reported to be in-calf.
This month’s survey suggests that two in five derogation farmers who had been planning earlier this year on cutting cow numbers are no longer looking at the option to comply with the new nitrates limits, or else they have already off-loaded cows.