Written answers
Tuesday, 16 April 2024
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Nitrates Usage
Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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537. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will give consideration to the nitrates figure for the preceding year being the determining figure for a farmer's slurry importation the following year, as it will incentivise less-intensive farmers to import slurry and it would be extremely beneficial in balancing soil fertility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16023/24]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Nitrates Directive (Council Directive 91/676/EEC, as amended)) sets out that for each farm, the amount of livestock manure applied to land each year, including by the livestock themselves, can not exceed an amount containing 170 kg of nitrogen per hectare (N/ha) in the absence of a derogation.
It is unfortunately not possible to consider allowing a farmer’s previous years livestock manure figures to determine their organic manure importation allowance for the current year, as such a process could result in a farm's annual limit exceeding that set down by the Nitrates Directive itself.
I strongly recommend that farmers interested in importing slurry should seek expert advice and prepare a nutrient management plan. This will allow these farmers to select the appropriate volumes of slurry while improving soil fertility, reducing risk of nutrient loss to water and preventing the risk of exceeding their livestock manure limit for the year.
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