The dry summer and autumn of 2018 allowed most farmers to get slurry tanks emptied, and that has taken the pressure off storage facilities this winter.

However, if the situation had been more like 2017 when conditions were poor throughout autumn, there would probably be considerably more frustration that farmers have not been able to spread over the last few weeks, when conditions have been near ideal.

In one regard it highlights the folly of restrictions imposed on farmers using a date in the calendar, and generally it is recognised that it is a fairly blunt tool.

But unfortunately we are in a situation where ongoing concerns around water quality in NI (particularly linked to phosphorus run-off) make it increasingly difficult to see these rules being relaxed into the future.

It should also be noted that the livestock sector in NI has significantly expanded in recent years, and that means more slurry to be handled, which inevitably puts more pressure on the environment.

Since 2010 pig and poultry numbers are both up by around 50%.

Cattle numbers are up a more modest 2%, but within that dairy cow numbers (a significant proportion of which are kept in containment systems) are up 11%.

Overall feed usage increased 18% from 2010 to 2017, and feed rates for the first nine months of 2018 were up another 9%.

In the next couple of weeks we expect DAERA to consult with industry on proposed changes to the Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) which sets rules around the spreading of fertiliser and manure.

As previously reported, there are likely to be tighter rules around the use of phosphorus containing fertiliser.

It is also understood that restrictions on the amount of slurry that a farmer can apply in October and February are being considered.

That reflects the fact that growth can be variable in those months, and unless grass is actively taking up nutrients there is a danger that they will be lost.

Slurry is a valuable resource if managed well, and generally that means spreading in good conditions between March and September. Poor management of slurry will only bring even tighter rules in the future.

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