Farmers will be allowed to start grazing GLAS wild bird cover parcels from this Friday 15 March. The idea behind grazing these parcels is to help in the breakdown of whatever trash and vegetation remains from last year’s crop in preparation for this year’s crop. The deadline for replanting is 31 May.

The objective behind wild bird cover action in GLAS is to provide food for farmland birds in the form of an unharvested crop. Experts say this is to make up for the reduction in tillage area around the country, resulting in the loss of spilled grains in fields that was a valuable food source for birds such as the linnet in the past.

It is also supposed to be a crop for wildlife. Linseed, for example, has a blue flower during the summer months which is an excellent food source for bees and other pollinators. Hedgehogs, field mice and other small mammals are also said to live in the crops, which in turn helps provide food for barn owls and other birds of prey.

Nitrates derogation

The Department of Agriculture is reminding farmers that 2019 nitrates derogation applications can now be submitted online. The closing date for applications is 31 March 2019.

Farmers are advised to contact their agricultural adviser to determine if they should avail of this facility. More information is available on the Department’s website. Farmers who applied for a derogation in 2018 are reminded that they must submit fertiliser accounts by 31 March 2019 also.

End-of-year nitrogen and phosphorus (N&P) statements for 2018 are available on the Department’s online system at www.agfood.ie.

Seed week

Seed week will be running from Monday 18 March to Friday 22 March this year. Led by the Irish Seed Savers Association, the programme aims to increase the diversity of seed being grown on home soil by supporting budding and existing small-scale food growers to also become seed producers.

Follow the campaign @GaiaFoundation or by visiting Irish Seed Savers or Seed Sovereignty. Seed week is co-ordinated by The Gaia Foundation, which is championing the seed sovereignty programme in Ireland and the UK.