Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Calendar farming does not work. Under the greening rules, tillage farmers with more than 10 acres of tillage must grow two crops, while farmers with 30 acres or more must grow three tillage crops. To meet these requirements, most tillage farmers need to grow a winter crop. However, due to the wet weather since early August, it has been almost impossible for farmers to sow winter cereal crops. It will shortly be too late to sow these crops, which will make it difficult for farmers to meet the greening rules. The closing date for spreading slurry has passed, but due to ground conditions caused by wet weather, some slurry remains to be spread. Will the Government consider setting aside the two-crop and three-crop rules for 2019-20 due to the weather conditions and will it allow farmers to spread slurry until the end of October?

See this speech in context