The Department of Agriculture needs to introduce flexibilities to the nitrates regulations to ensure that farmers are not financially penalised for exceeding the 170kg of nitrogen/ha or 250kg of N/ha limits, according to the ICMSA farm and rural affairs committee chair Denis Drennan.

This is in light of the severe disruption to the normal trading of livestock over the past number of weeks caused by COVID-19 and the likelihood of disruption continuing, Drennan said.

“Given the severe impact of COVID-19 on livestock and meat markets, it is very likely that farmers who normally sold cattle at specific times of the year will end up carrying more stock for a longer period than they had intended because of COVID-19 and due to no fault of their own.

Stocking rates

“As a result of that situation, farm stocking rates could exceed the 170kg of N/ha and 250kg of N/ha limits which would normally result in a financial penalty for that farmer.

“Quite clearly, COVID-19 is a force majeure event and ICMSA is asking the Department to adopt a flexible attitude to these limits given the current circumstances.

“It’s both fair and obvious that no farmer should be penalised due to the fact that he or she has been forced to hold more livestock than usual as a result of the incredibly negative impact of COVID-19 and ICMSA is asking the Department to immediately announce a suspension of penalties for farmers who would normally be under the specified limits,” Drennan said.

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