Teagasc has said that due to the high level of demand for soil sampling, in some cases farmers are waiting up to four weeks for results.

“There is a large demand for soil sampling at present due to the changes in the nitrates directive and other schemes.

“In some cases, there is up to a four week wait for soil sample results due to current soil sampling demand/high volume,” a Teagasc spokesperson told the Irish Farmers Journal.

Any farmer with a grassland stocking rate above 130kg nitrogen per hectare (N/ha) and all tillage farmers have to test their soil this year, unless they have tested it in the last four years.

Farmers who do not soil test are to assume a phosphorus (P) index of 4 and this can restrict the amount of P that can be applied.

In 2022, Teagasc analysed a total 38,134 soil samples comprising of dairy, drystock and tillage enterprises.

Soil sample numbers increased by 13% in 2022, which is the same as the increase in 2021.