Pippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

-----their farm outputs in the face of rising fertiliser costs and reduced availability. Teagasc is working with farmers through the Soils, Nutrients and Fertiliser campaign to help them adapt to the current fertiliser market and support them to make informed decisions on what is best for their farms. This is a strategy that can ease the price pressure on farmers. It is a strategy that will be good for the environment and good for farmers' pockets.

At the November meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council, the Minister raised the increasing challenge faced by farmers due to the rising costs of inputs. The EU Commission was called upon to consider all options to ease the pressure on farmers at this time, including whether the imposition of anti-dumping duties on fertiliser imports continues to be appropriate and for this matter to be examined as a priority. Following the November meeting, the Minister wrote to the EU Commissioner, Janusz Wojciechowski, requesting that the Commission's assessment of the ongoing appropriateness of anti-dumping duties on fertilisers be completed as a matter of priority. The EU Commission responded on 26 January to say that it is still collecting information to establish the relevant facts.

In addition, a new €1 million initiative by my Department will support the planting of multi-species swards in order to reduce dependence on fertilisers. This scheme will support farmers to use multi-species grass when reseeding. It will mean a mixture of complementary species will be sown, including clover, which will enable farmers to significantly reduce their use of nitrogen. A pilot soil sampling programme has also been introduced by my Department, which will provide farmers with comprehensive details of the soil health and soil condition of their farm. This will provide them with critical information to make farm management decisions on nutrient inputs to the most efficient levels.

With fertiliser prices constituting such a high portion of a farmer's expenditure, we are aware that the impact of continued high fertiliser prices will have a negative effect on farmers' businesses. Ireland, unfortunately, will remain a fertiliser price-taker in this regard.

See this speech in context