IFA concern over review of Nitrates Action Programme
IFA Environment chair John Murphy said the outcome of the interim review of the Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) will result in additional asks on farmers.
The proposed additional measures, announced by the Minister for Agriculture last week, include a 5% reduction in inorganic nitrogen as well as a shorter notification period for slurry movements.
They also reduce the excretion rate of 0-3-month-old calves along with a mechanism to allow dairy farmers who feed lower protein concentrates to reduce the excretion rate of their cows.
“There is no doubt that farmers will view these as yet more requirements being placed on them. Some of these measures, such as the 5% reduction in inorganic N, were already flagged at the start of the programme in 2023. Others, such as the reduced excretion value of calves, will help in allowing farmers adjust to the stocking rates they now have to adhere to due to the reduction to max stocking rate of 220kg in most of the country.”
These proposals, which will go to public consultation, are the result of the interim review of the NAP – a stipulation of the renewal of the programme.
John Murphy said the proposed four-day notification of slurry movements is not practicable, particularly for pig farmers. IFA will further engage with department officials on this issue to find a feasible solution that works for all.
“The bottom line here is many of these proposed measures will place more burdens on farmers. It is vital that the Government deliver on their side of the bargain and protect our current derogation. It’s simply not fair to expect farmers to continuously take on more measures without any guarantee of our derogation,” he concluded.
Payments under Organic Farm Scheme Must be Addressed
IFA Organic Project Team chair John Fitzpatrick said that payments under the Organic Farm Scheme (OFS) must be addressed.
“The delay in the ACRES scheme has had a knock-on effect as payment must be issued there before the OFS payment can be made. This process is flawed and farmers are suffering as a result,” he said.
“A significant number of farmers have yet to receive any payment this year. This is not instilling any confidence in farmers who want to move towards organic farming.”
The minister expects approx. 1,000 new entrants into the scheme again this year. This cannot happen unless the delay in payments is acted upon swiftly.
“Converting to organic farming requires significant investment and the two-year conversion period is a volatile time for farmers. The absence of a payment for these farmers will be catastrophic and it will cause farm families to question the viability of the scheme,” he said.
We hear of the huge ambition within Government to increase organic acreage, which is all well and good. However, it is no comfort to the farm families waiting on their payments.
“The department must act swiftly to issue all outstanding payments to farmers. An interim payment like what was issued under the ACRES scheme must be considered for farmers awaiting payment,” he concluded.