Mr. Bill Callanan:

The nutrient of slurry in the original calculations was based on taking 89 kg, dividing it over 12 months, and the animal was housed for three months or whatever the number was, so a nutrient content is created for the period the animal is in, which translated into a nutrient content from the anticipated slurry produced on the farm. That figure needed to move, based on the realities of having taken samples and conducting assessments on farms in terms of the actual nutrient content of slurry that is being produced today. Issues such as additional water going in and the volume of slurry being produced potentially being larger, has resulted in the difference. I understand this figure is quite different from the previous book calculation.

Let me be clear, we are quite open that it is a number based on, effectively, surveying what is the nutrient content of slurry out there. We know that, for example in terms of movement of slurry whether pig manure etc., farmers are being encouraged to understand the nutrient content because it differs greatly, depending on the slurry they get. If new assessment or survey results suggest the nutrient content of slurry is higher, we will simply change them within the regulations. That is the process. We need scientific evidence to determine or to be correct in terms of the number we use. That was based on surveys.