A public consultation was announced this week on the conditions contained in Ireland’s nitrates derogation. The derogation is very important for intensively stocked farmers who exceed the nitrate regulations limit for livestock manure.

These farmers can apply annually for a derogation to increase their allowance. The current limit is 170kg of livestock manure nitrogen per hectare.

With a derogation in place, farmers can exceed that limit up to a maximum of 250kg/ha, subject to adherence to stricter rules. Currently, some rules these farmers have to adhere to include:

  • An annual derogation application must be made online to the Department.
  • You must be farming a holding that is at least 80% grass and have grazing livestock.
  • 50% of all slurry produced on a derogation farm must be applied by 15 June annually. After this date, slurry can only be applied using low-emission equipment.
  • Have a fertilisation plan in place on the holding based on recent soil analysis results.
  • Fertiliser accounts must be submitted to the Department.
  • Nitrates derogation applicants cannot import livestock manure on to their holding.

    • According to the Department of Agriculture, this consultation is part of a review process “examining further opportunities for derogation farmers to improve efficiencies and continue to reduce their environmental footprint”.

    Almost 7,000 intensively stocked farmers with an agricultural area of 466,000ha availed of the derogation in 2018, which is up on 2014 levels.

    The review comes on the back of cattle numbers and fertiliser use increases in recent years and EPA reports of water quality deterioration, as well as greenhouse gas and ammonia emission increases.

    The purpose of the public consultation is to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to submit their view regarding the derogation, according to the Department.

    Following this consultation, an expert group comprising officials from the relevant Government departments and Teagasc will draw up recommendations, which are then expected to be published in June 2019, for implementation next year.