Mr. Joe Healy:

We have absolute confidence in them. We are joined by Mr. Thomas Cooney, our environment chairman, and Mr. Thomas Ryan, our environment executive.

The current review of the rules surrounding the use and management of nitrogen and phosphorous on Irish farms provides a real opportunity to reverse decades of declining soil fertility levels and ensure Ireland's farming sector is well positioned to sustainably grow agrifood exports over the next decade to almost €20 billion and create 23,000 jobs in the sector. Farming and the wider agrifood sector is the backbone of economic activity in rural Ireland, undertaken in every county and parish. It is also Ireland’s largest indigenous sector, providing employment to more than 300,000 people directly and indirectly.

Despite wider economic challenges, exports from the agrifood sector have grown by more than 50% since 2009, reaching more than €11 billion in 2016. This growth has been delivered through increased efficiency and better use of resources. For example, since 1996 cattle numbers in Ireland have reduced by 1 million, greenhouse gases have declined by 4 million tonnes and rivers considered to be seriously polluted have declined by 92%.

This good work is underpinned by a high level of collaboration in the sector. Initiatives such as the Smart Farming programme, which is led by the Irish Farmers' Association, IFA, in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and the IDIA’s, dairy sustainability initiative supports strong Government policies, for example, the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS, which has almost 50% of its measures aimed at improving water quality. However, challenges remain, the national population has increased by over 1.1 million during the past two decades and 43 local authority-Irish Water sites are still discharging untreated sewage into rivers and lakes. This, without doubt, is contributing to a decline in the number of high quality river sites.

Despite these challenges, this current review must be used to build on the progress made by the farming community, whose investment of €2 billion and support from Government in bringing farmyards to the highest environmental standards is paying a dividend. Chief priorities in this review are the continuation of both the derogation for the dairy and livestock sector and the transitional arrangements for pig and poultry farmers. Even though fewer than 5% of farmers in Ireland avail of the nitrates derogation, they represent a cohort of progressive farmers who will underpin the development of the sector in the coming years, and are making farm management decisions today on the legitimate expectation that Ireland’s derogation will continue. It is worth noting that these derogation farmers endure increased compliance obligations, administrative burdens and face a greater likelihood of being inspected.

The call by the IFA for the continuation of the transitional arrangements for pig and poultry farmers is mainly because of the failure to develop a coherent bio-energy and, in particular, anaerobic digestion policy, with the necessary supports. The options are limited here. To avoid imposing thousands of euros of haulage costs on pig and poultry farmers, the transitional arrangements must be extended, at least until the long awaited renewable heat incentive is introduced.

Fertile soils are the bedrock of grass and crop growth. However, low farm incomes and heavy regulatory activities have contributed to a reduction in fertiliser use in recent years. This has led to a decline in soil fertility levels, with a small proportion of soil samples - 10% for grassland and 12% for tillage - showing good overall soil fertility. Currently, two thirds of soils nationally have a sub-optimal pH status, indicating a requirement for lime on most farms. Liming creates the optimum pH environment by neutralising acidity in soils, and making nutrients available to grow crops and reduce the risk of run-off. A lime investment programme must be introduced as part of this review to support the rebuilding of fertile soils. This must be supported by more open access to Teagasc's nutrient management planning tools, which should be available to all farmers at no cost initially. This will maximise adoption of best practice.

Regarding the inflexibility of the calendar farming regime when it comes to fertiliser spreading, this is once again in the front of our minds, with farm families, particularly in the west and north west, struggling to farm the land due to the exceptional weather this year again. I would ask that this issue, which continues to be raised at IFA county executives, be addressed to support the farmers, who want to do the right thing and not get penalised. This review is taking place at an important time in the development of Ireland’s agrifood sector.

Many of the measures proposed by the IFA in this review are focused on better resource management, which delivers on the double dividend of reducing costs while also protecting the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reduced risk to water quality. In addition, the farming community is well positioned to continue to play its part in Ireland’s recovery. However, vital support to deliver sustainable growth is required across all sections of Government. It is now the time to ensure that this review plays its part.