The new Nitrates Action Programme for 2026 onwards could leave farmers with just two years to avail of grant-aided slurry storage facilities if it brings about higher slurry storage requirements.

The current estimates for the per cow volume of slurry and soiled water produced on dairy farms, which informs the minimum tank capacity required by law, have remained unchanged since 2006.

The provisional results of still ongoing Teagasc research in the area suggest that the current 0.33m³ of slurry storage required per cow per week may be around 25% lower than the actual volumes produced on farms.

New programme

The Department of Agriculture has already signalled that the new Nitrates Action Programme’s requirements around slurry and soiled water storage capacity are to be informed by this research.

Advisers attending the Agricultural Consultants’ Association (ACA) heard from Department officials that the CAP strategic plan allows two years to submit an application for grant aid to become compliant with a change in regulations.

The comments came in response to a question from Cavan-based adviser Tom Canning on what “grace period” would be granted to farmers to comply with any change made to the tank space goalposts.

“The implication for an 80-cow dairy herd is that farm will be required to put in the equivalent of a four-bay single slatted shed’s slurry tank in addition to what they already have,” Canning said in reference to the provisional findings of Teagasc’s work in the area.