The new rules around milking platform stocking rate will be self-declared, according to Ted Massey, head of the nitrates division within the Department of Agriculture.
Speaking at the Teagasc water quality conference in Laois on Wednesday, Massey said that lands accessible to cows within 3km of the milking platform can be marked as milking platform area when farmers are doing their BISS application next year.
He said that all cows in the dairy herd will be included in the milking platform stocking rate calculation and that higher stocked farms will have to accept a lower chemical nitrogen allowance or demonstrate that slurry is moving to the out blocks.
“Good farmers are doing this anyway. They’re putting the slurry on the land they’re cutting for silage. But we’ve looked at the data and we have guys farming in Cork and they’ve land in Cavan. Now don’t tell me that that land is being managed the same. We have to achieve a better nutrient distribution within our farms,” he said.
Decision
Meanwhile, Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon indicated that the derogation decision may not be made in 2025.
Speaking at the Kerrygold and NDC quality milk awards, he said: “In an ideal world we will have a vote at the nitrates committee meeting in Brussels in December, but it is more important that we get the right result than a quick result.”
The Minister referenced that the last time a derogation was granted to Ireland it happened at the March meeting.
“We could give real certainty to everyone tomorrow that could be bad [for Ireland] but we don’t want that,” he said.
SHARING OPTIONS