Almost 9,000 farmers received texts from the Department of Agriculture last Friday indicating that their interim nitrates profile to the end of September places them close to the statutory limit.

Online

N and P statements are also available online at agfood.ie.

If a herd owner does not have access to online or text alert notification services, the interim N&P statements can be obtained from the regional offices or from the Department’s Nitrates Section, Johnstown Castle, Wexford.

Organic nitrogen levels, which are essentially determined by stocking rate, cannot exceed 170kgs/ha, except for derogation applicants who have a higher limit of 250kgs/ha.

breaches

Every year, breaches of the organic nitrates limits are the leading cause of cross-compliance penalty imposition, with about 1,500 farmers being penalised annually. The good news is that farmers still have an opportunity to take appropriate measures, such as slurry/FYM export off-farm, temporary grazing or reduction of cattle numbers.

Farmers need to remember that prior notification of temporary grazing is required for it to be taken into account for nitrates.

IFA environment committee chairman Harold Kingston has urged farmers to ensure that they avoid any unnecessary SFP penalty.

check

“Farmers should now check their N and P statements,” he said.

“Any farmer in danger of being in breach of the nitrates limits must either export FYM/slurry, reduce stock numbers or rent temporary grazing or off-farm slurry storage.”