The Department of Agriculture has updated nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) statements, which can be viewed online via www.agfood.ie.
The statements detail the volume of N and P produced by bovines on the holding from 1 January to 31 August and are a good aid for farmers in ensuring compliance with the standard chemical N limit of 170kg/ha and the derogation limit of 250kg/ha.
It is important to note that where other animals outside of bovines are on the farm, these figures must be calculated manually for sheep, pigs, poultry, horses, etc.
The most common situation is sheep farms and the figures taken as standard for calculating the level of N and P produced are those submitted in a farmer’s annual sheep census.
Where this does not accurately reflect numbers, then farmers can calculate monthly averages to give a more accurate output figure.
Slurry movement records
The most feasible option for many farmers at risk of exceeding nitrates limits to lower the level of N and P produced at this stage of the year is exporting organic manures.
Farmers should note that there has been a significant change in 2021, whereby all slurry movements must now be recorded online.
The move out from the exporting herd must be recorded, while the farmer accepting the organic manure must also accept it into their herd. This is carried out through the Department’s agfood.ie facility and both farmers and approved agents can complete the action.
Short window
There is only a short window left to complete this where slurry or farmyard manure is being applied and not stored.
The prohibited period for applying slurry starts on 15 October, meaning Thursday 14 October is the last day slurry can be applied. The last day for applying farmyard manure is 31 October.
This is also the deadline for farmers availing of a derogation to record slurry movements. This was introduced in 2020, but reverted to the deadline for all other farmers of 31 December due to COVID-19.
A user guide and short demonstration video on how to use the Department’s online slurry system can be found here.
The hardcopy of Record 3 Form is still available to download on the website, but manual Record 3s will only be accepted in the following situations:
