IFA president Joe Healy addressed the Oireachtas agriculture committee on the review of the nitrates regulations this Tuesday and called for the continuation of both the derogation for dairy and livestock farmers, and the transitional arrangements for pig and poultry farmers.

“Even though less than 5% of farmers in Ireland avail of the nitrates derogation, they represent a cohort of progressive farmers who will underpin the development of the sector in the coming years,” Healy said, adding that these farmers make decisions today on the legitimate expectation that Ireland’s derogation will continue.

The transitional arrangements must be extended, at least until the long-awaited renewable heat incentive is introduced

On transitional arrangements for pig and poultry manure, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed warned earlier this year that flexibility would not extend past the end of December, only allowing pig slurry imported this year to count towards 2018 ceiling.

Because of “the failure to develop a coherent bio-energy and in particular anaerobic digestion policy,” Healy argued that “the transitional arrangements must be extended, at least until the long-awaited renewable heat incentive is introduced”.

The IFA president also called for a lime investment programme to support farmers in improving soil pH and fertility. “This must be supported by more open access to Teagasc’s nutrient management planning tools, which should be available to all farmers at no cost initially,” Healy said.

He added that the inflexibility in the fertiliser spreading calendar was again illustrated by weather difficulties in the north and west this year.

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