DEAR EDITOR: Those of us farming in a derogation have learned that its continuation is no certainty. In the past few months, there has been agreement across most farm organisations and among our political leaders that it is a “red line issue”.

At the recent IFA ‘A Sector Worth Backing’ conference at the Curragh, our Taoiseach committed to “pulling on the green jersey”.

We have no definitive evidence to state the environmental consequences and economic impact that the retention or cessation of a nitrates derogation has on Ireland.

We have one year to make our case to retain the derogation. First and foremost, as farmers, we must own the water quality issue and do the right thing on nutrient management. Legislation alone will not solve this problem.

We must make our local, national and European political representatives know that retaining a nitrates derogation in this country is central to good agricultural production, farm viability and environmental stewardship. This is not solely a dairy or intensive livestock issue – this affects every farmer and rural professional and the ripples have a far-reaching effect.

To make our case, “standing up” or “doing it for the jersey” won’t cut it in Europe. We (all stakeholders) need a robust, comprehensive and coherent impact assessment of the derogation.

From Oak Park to Moorepark, the catchments programme to the National Farm Survey, Teagasc has the knowledge, data and the people to pull this information together, so that we all have the same figures to reinforce our message. Could having no derogation cause a worsening effect on water quality? It could!

It may also lead to pollution swapping via farm system change, take millions in milk revenue out of every rural town and distort the land market even further. Let’s not wait and see before we put facts and numbers around the derogation, now is the time.