Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 24 November 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion (Resumed)

Mr. Jack Nolan:

The Deputy is correct about the costs. It is about €96 an acre for six-species grass seed, which is meant to be the best. It includes two clovers, two herbs and two grasses. We hope to roll it out, with the Minister's approval, as early as possible to give farmers a chance to plan ahead for it. It is planned that the scheme will subsidise farmers at a rate of €50 per acre to meet the difference between the cost of the grass seed and multispecies seed and that it will cover 20,000 acres. If we could get farmers to take this up that would be substantial, because there are only approximately 200,0000 or 300,000 acres every year. The cost of fertiliser was mentioned. According to research, clover will save three bags of calcium ammonium nitrate an acre, which costs €180 at current prices. There are significant savings if we go down this road.

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