Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We also know the nitrates directive puts down significant obstacles in intensive farming because of the P and K restrictions. Spreading nitrogen is one matter. However, one will not get any benefit from it if there is not a proper balance in the soil. Will the Minister also examine this suggestion?

The cut-off date for the spreading of nitrogen is traditionally 15 September. Due to crop rotation and planning, if it were announced now that the spreading date was to be extended, farmers might be in a position to plant root crops after the harvest in August and September for the year ahead. This would assist in alleviating the difficulties that farmers will inevitably face in 2013 and 2014.

The Minister will know from his constituency that farmers are now outbidding each other trying to rent additional lands for planting fodder or silage. This is raising the cost of renting land to €300 an acre in some places. That is simply not sustainable in the short to medium term. However, the farmers are doing it of necessity because of their stocking densities and that they have no fodder reserve.

If the nitrates directive were revisited, it would give Ireland the opportunity to do what it does best which is to grow grass and harvest it for silage. This would address some of the problems we will be faced with next year.

I acknowledge farmers have assisted each other in a collegial way. The co-ops and the Department have done their best in dealing with the current difficulties we are facing. However, some audit system must be put in place in the Department to assess how much fodder will be built up over the next several months so that critical decisions can be made on whether to plant root crops after the grain harvest in August. Taking on these suggestions would give farmers the opportunity to plan ahead, particularly those who have high stock densities, no fodder reserves and are restricted by the nitrates directive to increase their fodder banks.

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