Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Dairy Farmers who declare their 2024 dairy cow nutrient excretion rate band through the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), can avail of the option to declare their intention to manage the crude protein in concentrates fed to their cows in 2024.

Farmers wishing to avail of this facility must use the ICBF portal to confirm their 2024 nutrient excretion rate band. The portal shows the reduction in the excretion rate that can be achieved by reducing the crude protein in concentrates fed to each specific herd.

All farmers that opt into this measure, must retain their original feed receipts and invoices on their holding for up to 5 years and make them available for inspection if requested. The average crude protein will be based on the weighted average crude protein across all concentrates, including "straights" purchased in the calendar year for feeding to dairy cows.

To provide maximum information for farmers, my Officials recently wrote to all farmers, signposting this option for dairy farmers as one of the proposed changes under the Interim Review of the Nitrates Action Programme. The Interim Review is currently undergoing the Appropriate Assessment and the Strategic Environmental Assessment processes. These must conclude before any new measures arsing from the Review can be formally adopted. However, as communicated to farmers, subject to the Appropriate Assessment and the Strategic Environmental Assessment processes, including the public consultation, the intention is to recognise those dairy farmers who opt to feed lower crude protein concentrates by using the respective lower excretion rate to calculate their holding’s stocking rate for 2024 at year end.