Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 175: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps she is taking to ease the burden of paperwork placed on farmers by the Nitrates Directive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3561/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2006 contain a number of requirements in relation to record keeping. Much of this information, such as stock numbers and farmed area, is already maintained by farmers on their herd registers or contained in their declarations for the Single Payment Scheme.

To assist farmers in complying with their obligations on record keeping, my Department will, where possible, make use of its data holdings to send organic nitrogen and phosphorus statements to farmers in respect of each calendar year. Statements in respect of 2006 are being prepared at present, and will issue as early as possible.

My Department has already produced an Explanatory Handbook for farmers setting out in clear terms their obligations under the Regulations. The handbook contains explanations of and suggested formats for the records required, and helpsheets that farmers can use as examples. This handbook, together with a copy of the Regulations, was sent to all farmers in October 2006.

While my Department is committed to minimising the practical burden of compliance with the Regulations, responsibility for compliance rests ultimately with the occupier of a holding. Farmers should therefore ensure that they have read and understood their obligations under the Regulations and they should, if necessary, obtain professional advice from their agricultural advisers.