Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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787. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are supports available from his Department for farmers who wish to use organic fertilisers or fertiliser pellets that are biologically composted and 100% organic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61721/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The application of fertilisers to land is regulated by the Nitrates regulations SI 605 2017. These regulations provide for the use of organic fertilisers as well as chemical fertilisers to growing crops when ground and weather conditions allow. Certified analysis of any fertiliser used should be available to farmers so that they can optimize the use of nutrients.

There are currently no supports available for the use of fertiliser . Support through capital aid scheme or TAMS are available to farmers for the purchase of low emission slurry spreading equipment and GPS enabled fertilizer spreaders.

The use of organic fertilisers in 2022 will be particularly cost effective for farmers in light of the current price of chemical fertilisers.