The Association of Farm & Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI) has asked Minster for Agriculture Michael Creed to give immediate attention to the need for consultation with the Ministers for Communications, Climate Change and the Environment, and Minister for Housing, Planning & Local Government, in order to put an extension in place for the farm animal slurry land-spreading dates beyond the current October 15 deadline for 2018 as well as the mineral fertiliser spreading dates beyond the current September 15 deadline. FCI is requesting a one-month extension in each case.

These calls from FCI come after a period where minimal organic or inorganic fertilisers were applied to Irish soils due to the recent drought. FCI feels that farm contractors may be unable to meet the current calendar deadline dates.

FCI national chair Richard White said: “We are predicting that the grass silage harvesting will extend at least towards the end of October, even if weather conditions bring much-needed rainfall in the coming week. This will be coming at a time when the much larger national maize harvest will also be coming early. It will also coincide with current animal slurry spreading deadline date, all of which will be difficult to achieve in practice and in safety.”

FCI foresees that this will place a huge workload on contractor services at a time when seasonal and student workers will no longer be available. FCI believes that given current unprecedented soil moisture deficit levels, ground conditions into early November will be suitable for the spreading of animal slurry, with no environmental risks associated.