Dairy farming was dealt a double blow this week as plans for a county crackdown on nitrogen use were aired just days after Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue called for “mature discussion” about continued expansion of the dairy herd.

A senior official revealed that the Department of Agriculture is planning a chemical fertiliser register linked to farmers’ herd numbers, as well as cuts to nitrogen use limits.

Senior inspector Jack Nolan identified counties Meath, Kildare, Laois, Tipperary, Cork, Kilkenny and the southeast as facing tougher nitrates rules.

It will be difficult to achieve stable methane

His comments come hot on the heels of Minister McConalogue’s insistence that the Ag Climatise plan, to which Irish agriculture is signed up, is based on a stable herd.

“It will be difficult to achieve stable methane if dairy cow numbers continue to increase over the years ahead,” the minister warned farmers at the IFA AGM.

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