Nitrates regulations require farmers to comply with stubble cultivation rules. They can be complicated, so here is a reminder on what needs to be done.
The aim of the rules is to create a green cover to protect soil and take up nutrients which may otherwise be lost to water.
It should be noted that ideally these cultivations should be carried out in appropriate conditions, but there is no clarity from the Department on leniency on these rules.
Hopefully common sense comes into play and fields do not need to be cultivated in wet conditions.
The rules add significantly to workload at a busy time of the year when there is harvesting and baling to be done, as well as transporting grain and bales and planting oilseed rape and cover crops.
Safety first
Please ensure safety first. Try to get enough sleep and try to avoid carrying out cultivations when tired.
A total of 20% to 25% of cereal stubble should be left uncultivated for endangered birds that depend on this habitat in the winter months.
Use this to your advantage in the busy months, but remember that it has to be left untouched until 1 February unless a crop is planted.
When cultivating, take pictures and turn the location on on the camera on your smartphone in case the pictures are needed for an inspection.
A recap on the rules
Shallow stubble cultivation should be carried out within 10 days of chopping or baling straw and must take place within 14 days of harvest.The rules apply to Louth, Dublin, Meath, Westmeath, Kildare, Offaly, Laois, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Wexford, Waterford, Cork and Tipperary.Does not have to be carried out where crops are harvested after 15 September.Does not have to be carried out on organic farms.You should not cultivate the 3m margin at watercourses or the 6m margin on some crops.Does not have to be carried out ahead of winter crops to be sown by 31 October and whole farms can be planted to winter crops without any need to leave stubbles as a habitat for birds.Where ACRES requirements have to be met such as cover crops or straw incorporation has to be carried out, then these measures supersede cultivation requirements. Over-winter stubble in ACRES can now be cultivated or uncultivated.Where grass weeds are a problem, you should ask an adviser what to do. If bromes are an issue, for example, then you could roll the field to encourage the seeds to germinate as they need light.
Nitrates regulations require farmers to comply with stubble cultivation rules. They can be complicated, so here is a reminder on what needs to be done.
The aim of the rules is to create a green cover to protect soil and take up nutrients which may otherwise be lost to water.
It should be noted that ideally these cultivations should be carried out in appropriate conditions, but there is no clarity from the Department on leniency on these rules.
Hopefully common sense comes into play and fields do not need to be cultivated in wet conditions.
The rules add significantly to workload at a busy time of the year when there is harvesting and baling to be done, as well as transporting grain and bales and planting oilseed rape and cover crops.
Safety first
Please ensure safety first. Try to get enough sleep and try to avoid carrying out cultivations when tired.
A total of 20% to 25% of cereal stubble should be left uncultivated for endangered birds that depend on this habitat in the winter months.
Use this to your advantage in the busy months, but remember that it has to be left untouched until 1 February unless a crop is planted.
When cultivating, take pictures and turn the location on on the camera on your smartphone in case the pictures are needed for an inspection.
A recap on the rules
Shallow stubble cultivation should be carried out within 10 days of chopping or baling straw and must take place within 14 days of harvest.The rules apply to Louth, Dublin, Meath, Westmeath, Kildare, Offaly, Laois, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Wexford, Waterford, Cork and Tipperary.Does not have to be carried out where crops are harvested after 15 September.Does not have to be carried out on organic farms.You should not cultivate the 3m margin at watercourses or the 6m margin on some crops.Does not have to be carried out ahead of winter crops to be sown by 31 October and whole farms can be planted to winter crops without any need to leave stubbles as a habitat for birds.Where ACRES requirements have to be met such as cover crops or straw incorporation has to be carried out, then these measures supersede cultivation requirements. Over-winter stubble in ACRES can now be cultivated or uncultivated.Where grass weeds are a problem, you should ask an adviser what to do. If bromes are an issue, for example, then you could roll the field to encourage the seeds to germinate as they need light. 
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