Farmers are to be inspected on the ground later this month for compliance with new bale stacking rules which were introduced this year.

Silage bales, including high dry matter silage or haylage, can be stacked no more than two bales high unless farmers have facilities for the collection and storage of any effluent that may arise.

The Department of Agriculture told the Irish Farmers Journal on Monday that conditionality inspections for 2023 have yet to commence and that any breaches of the new stacking rules have yet to be identified.

“Conditionality inspections are due to commence on the ground later this month. The Area Monitoring System (AMS) may complement on the ground controls,” it said.

The Department also reminds farmers that silage bales must continue to be stored at least 20m from surface water or a drinking water abstraction point. These requirements also apply to the storage of haylage.