Exclusive: no extension to slurry deadline for waterlogged farms

Despite calls for a relaxing of the rules in the light of persistent rain in many areas, there are no plans to extend the slurry deadline – at least for this year.

Odile Evans

30 September 2016

Exclusive: no extension to slurry deadline for waterlogged farms

The Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, said in the Dáil earlier this week that his officials are actively monitoring the weather situation on farms. Photograph by David Ruffles

John and Graeme Taylor are farming a 100-cow pedigree Holstein Friesian herd at Cloonboygher, Newtown Gore, Co Leitrim. All cows on the farm have been housed since the wet weather hit last week and have been in at night for the last month. Ground conditions on the farm have stopped the harvest of 67 acres of third-cut silage, which was due to be cut in the first week of September. With slurry tanks at capacity, John says: "it's all pressure" at the moment and they are "running out of time." Phot

Dairy and sheep farmer Des McHugh inspects waterlogged paddocks on his farm at Ballinamore, Co Leitrim. Des records rainfall on his farm for Met Éireann and has recorded 390.44mm since 5 June. Photo: Jack Caffrey

There are no plans at present to extend the spreading periods for slurry in 2016. The programme will be reviewed again in 2017, a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture told the Irish Farmers Journal. This is despite calls for the 15 October deadline to be eased on farms hit by excessive rain, which is part of the five-point plan put forward by the IFA to alleviate weather woes.

This is despite calls for the 15 October deadline to be eased on farms hit by excessive rain, which is part of the five-point plan put forward by the IFA to alleviate weather woes.

The ICSA, too, “is calling for allowances to be made in cases where farmers have not had adequate time to spread slurry given the poor conditions,” its rural development chair Seamus Sherlock said this Friday. “We do not want a situation whereby farmers have to deal with added setbacks for the sake of an extra few weeks,” he added.

Fianna Fáil agriculture spokesman Charlie McConalogue said that “Minister Creed must talk with his European counterparts to secure some flexibility for farmers whose land has been severely damaged as a result of recent weather conditions”.

EU regulations

Specified closed periods for the spreading of fertilisers, including slurry, are a key aspect of the Nitrates Regulations which are mandatory in every EU member state. Spreading is prohibited at any time of the year when the ground is frozen, waterlogged or heavy rain is forecast.

“The closed periods in Ireland were decided following extensive consultation and were discussed with farming bodies and the European Commission when Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme was being introduced,” the Department told the Irish Farmers Journal.

The Nitrates Directive is implemented by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, which is now Simon Coveney’s portfolio.

The Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, said in the Dáil earlier this week that his officials are actively monitoring the weather situation on farms.

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