New regulations on the use of chemical fertiliser on NI farms have been put forward by Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir.The proposed rules are awaiting approval by the Stormont Executive and are part of a 37-point action plan to address blue-green algae in Lough Neagh.
New regulations on the use of chemical fertiliser on NI farms have been put forward by Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir.
The proposed rules are awaiting approval by the Stormont Executive and are part of a 37-point action plan to address blue-green algae in Lough Neagh.
Establishment of an online database which records details about the movement of fertiliser on to individual farms is part of the plan.
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Minister Muir confirmed that the proposal is similar to an initiative which has recently been rolled out in the Republic of Ireland.
“We need to get a better grip on where things are at the moment and we need to set a baseline so we can monitor where we are going to,” he said.
Crop requirements
Minister Muir also wants to tighten up on existing rules around matching chemical fertiliser applications to crop requirements.
“If you do not need fertiliser with phosphorus on your land, then there will be restrictions on usage,” he said.
The Alliance MLA indicated that soil analysis results will be needed to justify compound fertiliser applications on grassland, and he argued this will ultimately “save both the environment and the farmer financially”.
He suggested results from the ongoing Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS) could play a part but acknowledged that DAERA already gave a commitment that the scheme would not be used for enforcement purposes.
“I value farmers’ participation in the SNHS, and we get the concerns around the confidentiality of the data, but we’ve got to find ways to reduce the phosphorus overload into Lough Neagh and this is one of the ways we could do it,” Minister Muir said.
NAP
The exact detail of the new chemical fertiliser rules will be set out in a broader set of regulations on slurry and fertiliser use, known as the Nutrient Action Programme (NAP).
The current NAP is being reviewed by DAERA at present and an updated set of regulations is expected to be in place by early 2025.
Minister Muir maintained that farmer representatives will be consulted as the NAP is reviewed and new rules on fertiliser usage are ironed out.
“It’s about engagement and consultation around these issues. We want to work with people to get solutions because farmers are part of the solution,” he said.
Action plan
At Stormont on Tuesday, Minister Muir outlined 20 of the 37 points contained within the Lough Neagh action plan.
The other 17 points in the plan, which includes rules around phosphorus fertiliser use and the new fertiliser database, are expected to be approved by the NI Executive shortly.
The 20 points outlined by Minister Muir so far are “DAERA-only actions” which do not require approval by other ministers in the NI Executive.
It includes training for slurry spreading contractors on reducing run-off into waterways, further research into processing slurry to remove excess phosphorus from farms, and a project to design dairy cow diets that contain less phosphorus and nitrogen.
Other actions include recruiting additional water quality inspectors and setting up a project team to “explore and fully consult on enforcement methods”.
DAERA is also to look into setting up a team of water quality advisers which will be used to offer advice to farmers before fines and penalties are handed out.
The department said the team, which will be separate from the NI Environment Agency, will work to “educate and support” farmers by “allowing space and time” to implement steps to improve water quality.
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