There are numerous important dates that farmers need to mindful of across nitrates and schemes, with a selection of the most common dates outlined here to make planning easier.
Our user-friendly planner contains important dates from slurry and fertiliser application dates to scheme deadlines. \ Philip Doyle
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Keeping abreast of the myriad of important scheme and nitrates dates is challenging for farm advisors and consultants who are working at these every day. It is therefore not surprising that farmers find it difficult to stay on top of critical deadlines to remain compliant with conditionality/nitrates and ensure scheme payments are not compromised.
The table below lists dates in a user friendly format designed to remind farmers when action may be required. The list is not exhaustive and focuses on beef, dairy and sheep along with some common dates applicable to tillage farmers in Ireland.
Some of the dates are not set in stone and are based on certain schemes operating in the same manner as in 2025. Schemes falling in to this category include the National Beef Welfare Scheme, the National Sheep Welfare Scheme and the Dairy Beef Weighing Scheme. As such it is important that farmers pay heed to the terms and conditions when applying to schemes in 2026 and to keep abreast of changes.
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The assumption is also taken that farmers availing of a nitrates derogation will be required to submit a nutrient management plan and fertiliser accounts for the previous year by 31 March 2026.
There are a number of rules which came in to place over the last year, which are repeated for 1 January 2026. This includes farmers with a grassland stocking rate of over 100kg organic nitrogen/ha in 2025 required to spread all slurry with low-emission slurry spreading equipment in 2026.
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Title: Starting 2026 on a positive footing
There are numerous important dates that farmers need to mindful of across nitrates and schemes, with a selection of the most common dates outlined here to make planning easier.
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Keeping abreast of the myriad of important scheme and nitrates dates is challenging for farm advisors and consultants who are working at these every day. It is therefore not surprising that farmers find it difficult to stay on top of critical deadlines to remain compliant with conditionality/nitrates and ensure scheme payments are not compromised.
The table below lists dates in a user friendly format designed to remind farmers when action may be required. The list is not exhaustive and focuses on beef, dairy and sheep along with some common dates applicable to tillage farmers in Ireland.
Some of the dates are not set in stone and are based on certain schemes operating in the same manner as in 2025. Schemes falling in to this category include the National Beef Welfare Scheme, the National Sheep Welfare Scheme and the Dairy Beef Weighing Scheme. As such it is important that farmers pay heed to the terms and conditions when applying to schemes in 2026 and to keep abreast of changes.
The assumption is also taken that farmers availing of a nitrates derogation will be required to submit a nutrient management plan and fertiliser accounts for the previous year by 31 March 2026.
There are a number of rules which came in to place over the last year, which are repeated for 1 January 2026. This includes farmers with a grassland stocking rate of over 100kg organic nitrogen/ha in 2025 required to spread all slurry with low-emission slurry spreading equipment in 2026.
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