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The Department of Agriculture has released nitrogen and phosphorus statements for the period from January to November 2017.
Farmers are subject to a limit of 170kg of nitrogen per hectare or 250kg of nitrogen per hectare for farmers who hold an approved derogation.
Farmers who are in breach of these limits will be subject to penalties, with dairy farmers at higher risk of receiving nitrates inspections and penalties due to the national increase in herd sizes and stocking rates.
The statements are available on the Department’s online system at www.agfood.ie and can be accessed by farmers registered on the system.
Avoiding penalties
Almost 8,000 text alerts have also been sent out by the Department warning farmers who are approaching their nitrates limit.
It is still possible to avoid incurring penalties and farmers have the option of exporting slurry or renting land.
Farmers who take up these options to avoid nitrates penalties should submit nitrates records to the Department before 31 December 2017.
Forms can be emailed to nitrates@agriculture.gov.ie, or posted to Nitrates Section, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Johnstown Castle Estate, Co Wexford.
The Department has warned that only records that are received before the deadline will be taken into account when calculating farm nitrate levels for 2017.
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