A 5% cut in nitrogen (N) usage, the extension of the 220kg N/ha derogation limit to most of the country and greater restrictions on the application of straight urea are among a raft of proposals included in a consultation document on the nitrates action programme (NAP).
The Department of Housing document, entitled 'Proposed additional measures to the fifth nitrates action programme', also proposes tighter controls on the export of slurry and a cut to the crude protein levels in compound feed for grazing cows.
The rigorous controls will form the basis for a public consultation on the additional measures that must be introduced to achieve improvements in water quality in the short term and thereby protect Ireland’s nitrates derogation.
The actions proposed in the consultation document include:
That an organic manure limit on derogation farms of 220kg N/ha will also be newly applied to areas that that are currently not included in the water quality implementation map for 2024. This measure will be in effect from 1 December 2025.A 5% reduction in the maximum allowable chemical N fertiliser application rate for grassland will apply from 1 January 2025. This is on top of the 10% reduction already imposed under the current NAP measures. From 1 January 2025, there will be a chemical N fertiliser limit of 90kg/ha on farms with a stocking rate of less than 85kg N/ha. The Department stated that this is to reduce the potential risk of N surpluses on farms with a lower stocking intensity.The use of straight or unprotected urea in granular form will be restricted from September 2025. However, provision for the use of unprotected urea in liquid form will be retained. This is due to its “typically lower and more accurate application rates”, the document states.The Department will require notification of the movement or export of organic nutrients between holdings within four days of the movement occurring. GPS tracking of slurry movements will be reviewed and considered as a measure for the sixth NAP.On farms with a nitrates derogation, the maximum stocking rate will be limited to 170kg N/ha for land more than 30km from the main farm holding unit, unless demonstrable evidence is provided to show that this land is being farmed at an appropriate higher level. This measure will be implemented from 1 January 2025.All farms will be required to incorporate at least 1.5kg/ha of naked clover seed or at least 2.5kg/ha of pelleted clover when reseeding perennial rye grass-based swards.The maximum crude protein content of concentrate feedstuff fed to bovines aged two years and over at grass between 15 April and 30 September will be reduced from 15% to 14% on all holdings from 1 January 2025.Commenting on the need for the additional measures, the consultation document noted that “nitrogen concentrations in some waters are too high, especially in the south and southeast, and are not improving over the long term”.
A 5% cut in nitrogen (N) usage, the extension of the 220kg N/ha derogation limit to most of the country and greater restrictions on the application of straight urea are among a raft of proposals included in a consultation document on the nitrates action programme (NAP).
The Department of Housing document, entitled 'Proposed additional measures to the fifth nitrates action programme', also proposes tighter controls on the export of slurry and a cut to the crude protein levels in compound feed for grazing cows.
The rigorous controls will form the basis for a public consultation on the additional measures that must be introduced to achieve improvements in water quality in the short term and thereby protect Ireland’s nitrates derogation.
The actions proposed in the consultation document include:
That an organic manure limit on derogation farms of 220kg N/ha will also be newly applied to areas that that are currently not included in the water quality implementation map for 2024. This measure will be in effect from 1 December 2025.A 5% reduction in the maximum allowable chemical N fertiliser application rate for grassland will apply from 1 January 2025. This is on top of the 10% reduction already imposed under the current NAP measures. From 1 January 2025, there will be a chemical N fertiliser limit of 90kg/ha on farms with a stocking rate of less than 85kg N/ha. The Department stated that this is to reduce the potential risk of N surpluses on farms with a lower stocking intensity.The use of straight or unprotected urea in granular form will be restricted from September 2025. However, provision for the use of unprotected urea in liquid form will be retained. This is due to its “typically lower and more accurate application rates”, the document states.The Department will require notification of the movement or export of organic nutrients between holdings within four days of the movement occurring. GPS tracking of slurry movements will be reviewed and considered as a measure for the sixth NAP.On farms with a nitrates derogation, the maximum stocking rate will be limited to 170kg N/ha for land more than 30km from the main farm holding unit, unless demonstrable evidence is provided to show that this land is being farmed at an appropriate higher level. This measure will be implemented from 1 January 2025.All farms will be required to incorporate at least 1.5kg/ha of naked clover seed or at least 2.5kg/ha of pelleted clover when reseeding perennial rye grass-based swards.The maximum crude protein content of concentrate feedstuff fed to bovines aged two years and over at grass between 15 April and 30 September will be reduced from 15% to 14% on all holdings from 1 January 2025.Commenting on the need for the additional measures, the consultation document noted that “nitrogen concentrations in some waters are too high, especially in the south and southeast, and are not improving over the long term”.
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