Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 14 September 2022

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Nitrates Derogation and Nitrates Action Programme: Discussion

Mr. Denis Drennan:

It is becoming a huge issue in certain parts of the country where there is a divide between good and bad land. The farmer is looking at his options. He has commitments to financial institutions that have to be paid. He needs the number of cows he has to make those returns. What are his options? If he destocks, he is out of business and cannot make those returns. His only options are to destock or to get more land, and it is putting pressure on the forestry sector. We have huge aspirations for that sector but there will be, in certain parts of the country, dairy farmers who will look at leasing land that should be entering the forestry sector but will be held back because of the need for extra land in dairying.