A fertiliser is any substance containing nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) used on land to help to grow crops (including grass). This definition is given in the Department of Agriculture’s explanatory handbook for cross compliance requirements.

The closed period for spreading N or P in any form (chemical fertiliser, slurry, farmyard manure) is currently in place. This restriction does not apply to potassium (K) during the closed period.

The Department recently announced that the interim N and P statements (N&P statements) for the period January to September 2018 are now available on the Department’s online system at www.agfood.ie.

The Department said these statements are particularly useful to allow farmers to plan for the remainder of the year in order to ensure compliance with the limits of the nitrates regulations.

This is particularly useful information for avoiding penalties for breaching the limits of 170kg N/ha or the limit for those who hold an approved derogation of 250kg N/ha. This statement does not account for the N and P produced by other livestock on the holding, eg sheep, horses, pigs.

GLAS deadlines

On this page, we have also outlined a number of immediate clerical deadlines that some farmers participating in GLAS need to be aware of.

In terms of physical action, farmers in GLAS III should note that the deadline for hedge laying or coppicing hedgerows is 30 November.

With on-the-spot inspections being carried out, participating farmers should double check all the requirements are in order.

To ensure you do not suffer a penalty in the scheme, check what actions you have signed up for and make sure these actions have been carried out. Record sheets also need updating.

The deadline has passed for certain actions this year (eg wildbird cover establishment, low emission slurry spreading, etc), but there are other requirements you could still rectify if they need attention.

If you chose the fencing of watercourses from bovines action, double check that this work is fully complete and the fence line is bovine-proof.