The mandatory use of GPS trackers on tractors exporting slurry is being considered by the Department of Agriculture in a bid to clamp down on bogus slurry export declarations.

The proposal is among a number of new water quality measures proposed by the Department’s nitrates expert group.

Other measures proposed include the establishment of a national feed database, the declaration of exactly when slurry is leaving the farm and the inclusion of clover in all new perennial ryegrass seed mixes.

The group has also debated whether maximum slurry spreading limits should be imposed on the grazing platform.

Also under consideration is a restriction on grassland slurry spreading to land that meets specific soil test results.

The expert group agreed that the definition of the grazing platform for a dairy farm is the grassland area of a farm which is within 3km of the milking parlour.

Lands farmed over 30km from a derogation farm may also have the lower stocking rate limit of 170kg organic N/ha imposed.

The nitrates expert group is composed of officials from the departments of agriculture and housing, Teagasc and the EPA.