Nitrates Regulations must give affected farmers ‘path to move forward’

Speaking in advance of the latest review of the Nitrates regulations, the President of ICMSA Pat McCormack said that it is of critical importance that ‘a path’ is afforded those farmers affected by the reduction to 220kgs N to move forward and try and preserve some degree of viability.

Mr McCormack said that this could only be done by a proactive focus on those areas where movement was possible on Ireland’s part and where what he termed ‘practical recognition’ of both the problems and solution was made policy.

Mr McCormack said the aim now had to be putting positive options in front of those farmers who had been so fundamentally undermined by what he described as the incompetent and half-hearted defence of our national Derogation.

Noting that Minister McConalogue had repeatedly said that Ireland will seek the maximum flexibilities for farmers, the ICMSA President observed that we are only 12 weeks before the new regulations take effect, and it was time to move onto those areas where Irish decisions could have practical benefits and give the farmers the path forward they needed.

“ICMSA put forward a number of practical proposals that make sense from a farmer viewpoint, but also make sense from an environmental and animal welfare perspective. We now need the Department to look at these speedily and work towards their introduction”, he said.

Listing the most urgent, Mr McCormack referenced what he said were just five measures that would allow farmers to “breathe again”:

1. That the first 100 days of a calf’s life would be disregarded for nitrates purposes.

The reality facing farmers in 2024 is that every animal will impact on their nitrates levels and it is essential that we provide flexibilities so that calves can be kept for up to 100 days without impacting on a farmer’s stocking level for nitrates purposes.

2. That farmers who use a low protein concentrate during the summer period should be rewarded by a reduction in the N level per cow in each band. Teagasc research shows that for every 1% reduction in protein, the amount of N reduces by 1.7 kg so if a farmer cuts the protein percentage by 4%, a cow in Band 3 should fall from 106 kgs of N to 99.2 kgs of N. This reduction in protein content has both water quality and climate change benefits so farmers should be incentivised to make this change.

3. The ability to export slurry has been severely hampered by a the change in N content introduced in 2022 and ICMSA believes that this revised figure is incorrect and should be reviewed.

In addition, where a farmer take a sample of their own slurry, they should be allowed to use the figure established by an accredited laboratory.

4. The exclusion of farmers from applying for a derogation for two years where they make a minor error is totally disproportionate and the rules in relation to exclusion will simply have to be reformed and recognise situations where genuine or minor errors have been made.

5. In good faith, farmers expanded their holdings delivering net foreign earnings for the Irish economy and – very often - took on substantial debt to finance that expansion.

Overnight, the Government has decided to change policy and is now forcing many farmers to destock with huge implications for the farmers concerned. ICMSA believes that as part of Budget 2024, a package of measures will be required to support these farmers and to ensure that their farm business remains viable going forward.

“These are measures that are completely within the gift of the Minister and which he can introduce as part of the NAP review and in Budget 2024. Minister McConalogue has said he’s up for ideas on what can be done to mitigate the disaster his non-defence has inflicted