Bill to make the registration of fertilizer sales compulsory from 2023

The purpose of the registry is to provide accurate tracking of fertilizer sales and to provide a more realistic picture of where fertilizers are being applied on land.

In addition, it aims to establish a better understanding of the value of livestock manure and the need to reuse nutrients as much as possible on farms.

“Although it is recognized that the majority of farmers apply chemical fertilizers efficiently and in accordance with the requirements of GAP regulations, the movement of fertilizers between farms and the storage of fertilizers do not lend themselves to an accurate calculation of the farm-scale chemical fertilizer loads, ”the report says.

“In addition to the recently launched online slurry movement register, it will bring a level of regulation to the industry that is necessary to ensure that chemical fertilizers are used for optimum efficiency. “

Other measures described include changes to the dates of slurry application.

From January 1, 2022, all slurry generated on a farm must be applied before October 8 of the same year.

And from the following year, all slurry must be applied by October 1 of that year.

Tapes will be used to determine livestock excretion rates based on milk production.

The president of the Irish Farmers’ Association for the environment, Paul O’Brien, said the proposed measures will have important implications for farmers in all sectors. “Farmers must be supported to implement the new measures proposed in the draft nitrate action program, and sufficient time must be allowed for the measures to be adopted.

“The biggest problem that has not been addressed in the draft plan is the financial implications of the proposed measures and the risk of increasing the financial vulnerability of a greater number of farms,” ​​he said. .

“When a measure has financial implications for farmers, grants and accelerated capital allowance (ACA) programs should be introduced to support their adoption in order to enable farmers to achieve stricter environmental standards. , which would benefit the whole country.

However, O’Brien acknowledged that the government had taken on board many of the IFA’s recommendations and partially changed some of the measures.

These included maintaining an October deadline for slurry spreading; removal of the future obligation to cover slurry warehouses; removal of the requirement that only land within 30 km be included in stocking rate calculations; and the postponement of the review of technical tables until the next interim review.

“This is not to underestimate the scale of the challenge ahead for farmers and the investments that will be required to comply with the new regulations. It is essential that programs such as the Agricultural Sustainability Advisory and Support Program (ASSAP) are expanded to support farmers and that the Department improves communication with farmers to foster greater compliance, ”he said. -he declares.

The NAP contains specific measures to protect against nutrient pollution from agricultural sources and these measures include maximum fertilizer rates, manure storage requirements, periods when manure and contaminated water cannot. be spread, the establishment of a register of chemical fertilizers, etc.

A full review of the fourth NAP 2017-2021 has been undertaken since September 2020. This involved two public comment periods with approximately 700 responses received.

A panel of experts co-chaired by two ministries reviewed all submissions received during the public consultation and made recommendations on program changes which were accepted by the two ministers.

The report has been published on the websites of both departments along with the Natura Impact Statement (NIS) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) which begins a six-week consultation process on these two documents.

Minister McConalogue said his ambition was to protect and improve the quality of our water and biodiversity while ensuring Irish farmers continue to produce top quality food.

“Securing the exemption is a key priority and that we respond to these multiple ambitions. Once the NAP is finalized, the Global Package will help the Irish agrifood sector to achieve its goals under Food Vision 2030 in a sustainable manner.

“In particular, this package will pave the way for a formal vote on Ireland’s waiver in the coming months,” he said.

The deadline for receiving responses is January 26, 2022.

The NAP, which will be finalized in early March, and the ongoing negotiations with the Commission on this package of measures will pave the way for a formal vote by the EU Nitrates Management Committee on Ireland’s request to renew its derogation under the nitrates directive.

This vote is expected to take place in March 2022. This derogation allows more intensive farmers to operate at a higher stocking rate subject to compliance with stricter rules. Once the vote has been obtained, the derogation will be incorporated into the action program.