The Department of Agriculture has confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal that dairy farmers can use the previous years’ milk supply when working out what nitrate excretion rate band they will be in. The option to use a three-year rolling average remains.

In effect this means that dairy farmers who made an effort to be in a lower band in 2022 will be rewarded for this in 2023.

Speaking at the Irish Grassland Association conference in Cork on Wednesday, Noreen Lacey from ifac presented analysis showing that farmers in the high band will face a 53% cut in profit after the derogation limit is cut from 250kg to 220kg/ha.