The IFA has said that it rejects a number of the proposed measures included in the second stage of the Department of Agriculture’s consultation on the review of the Nitrates Action Programme (NAP).
Speaking at an online meeting on Thursday night, Aine O’Connell of the IFA’s dairy executive said the organisation rejects the following proposals:
To cover external slurry stores.The longer closed period where slurry cannot be spread.New requirements for soiled water storage.The compulsory usage of low-emission slurry spreading (LESS) on farms stocked above 100kg organic nitrogen per hectare.
On the issue of new nitrogen bands for organic nitrogen excretion in dairy cows, she said the organisation is seeking for this measure to be introduced on a phased basis over four years.
IFA dairy chair Stephen Arthur said the new proposals will have a big impact on dairy farms: “There’s a bit of confusion about the way these measures are coming out. [The Department of Agriculture is] bringing in the whole idea about covering slurry tanks and LESS slurry spreading but as far as we’re concerned they’re nothing to do with nitrates or water quality. They’re a different issue altogether.”
Disappointed
He says there’s no science behind some of the measures and he is very disappointed with the way the Department has handled the process.
A number of farmers on the forum expressed their anger at the measures being imposed around soiled water, particularly the requirement that soiled water can no longer mix with slurry.
Some farmers who have ample storage for both soiled water and slurry said they will now be forced to build another tank just to keep them separate and they questioned the scientific explanation for this.
There were also calls on the Department of Agriculture to better enforce existing rules around slurry storage requirements and enforcement of the closed period for spreading slurry.
Bill Fitzgerald from Kilkenny and John Murphy from Cork both said a lot of the issues with water quality are down to rogue practices. They said these practices need to be stamped out by the Department and local authorities.
IFA pigs chair Roy Gallie called on the Government to introduce 60% grant aid for all new slurry stores to incentivise extra storage on farms.
Aine O’Connell pointed out that if a measure is included in law, it cannot be grant aided. This means farmers who will be required by law to use LESS won’t be able to apply to TAMS for funding for LESS equipment.
The IFA has said that it rejects a number of the proposed measures included in the second stage of the Department of Agriculture’s consultation on the review of the Nitrates Action Programme (NAP).
Speaking at an online meeting on Thursday night, Aine O’Connell of the IFA’s dairy executive said the organisation rejects the following proposals:
To cover external slurry stores.The longer closed period where slurry cannot be spread.New requirements for soiled water storage.The compulsory usage of low-emission slurry spreading (LESS) on farms stocked above 100kg organic nitrogen per hectare. On the issue of new nitrogen bands for organic nitrogen excretion in dairy cows, she said the organisation is seeking for this measure to be introduced on a phased basis over four years.
IFA dairy chair Stephen Arthur said the new proposals will have a big impact on dairy farms: “There’s a bit of confusion about the way these measures are coming out. [The Department of Agriculture is] bringing in the whole idea about covering slurry tanks and LESS slurry spreading but as far as we’re concerned they’re nothing to do with nitrates or water quality. They’re a different issue altogether.”
Disappointed
He says there’s no science behind some of the measures and he is very disappointed with the way the Department has handled the process.
A number of farmers on the forum expressed their anger at the measures being imposed around soiled water, particularly the requirement that soiled water can no longer mix with slurry.
Some farmers who have ample storage for both soiled water and slurry said they will now be forced to build another tank just to keep them separate and they questioned the scientific explanation for this.
There were also calls on the Department of Agriculture to better enforce existing rules around slurry storage requirements and enforcement of the closed period for spreading slurry.
Bill Fitzgerald from Kilkenny and John Murphy from Cork both said a lot of the issues with water quality are down to rogue practices. They said these practices need to be stamped out by the Department and local authorities.
IFA pigs chair Roy Gallie called on the Government to introduce 60% grant aid for all new slurry stores to incentivise extra storage on farms.
Aine O’Connell pointed out that if a measure is included in law, it cannot be grant aided. This means farmers who will be required by law to use LESS won’t be able to apply to TAMS for funding for LESS equipment.
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