Wednesday, October 14, 2009
THE ploughing date for spring crops has been brought forward by more than six weeks by Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith following talks with Environment Minister John Gormley.
It means the requirement for cereal farmers to establish green cover on arable lands will be relaxed this winter so as to allow them to plough for spring cereals from December 1 next rather than January 15, 2010, the date provided for in the nitrates regulations.
Mr Smith said the advice from Teagasc is that due to low soil temperatures in December and January, this adjustment can be made without any substantial increase in the risk of leaching of nitrates.
"This relaxation in the requirement for green cover will allow earlier ploughing for spring cereals," he said.
"It is accepted that early ploughing has a number of advantages, including an improved seedbed due to the effects of winter weathering, reduced disease and pest carryover from one growing season to the next and a more evenly distributed workload for farmers."
Mr Smith said he was pleased with this significant development for tillage farmers. It will be of benefit for those ploughing spring cereals and reflected the scientific advice provided by Teagasc. However, farmers need to ensure that they do not contribute to soil erosion when ploughing.
Welcoming the decision, IFA grain committee chairman Colum McDonnell said the ban on winter ploughing for spring crops under the directive was eroding grain growers’ competitiveness by up to €60 per hectare and threatened the future viability of grain production.
"It is imperative that when the nitrates’ regulations are being reviewed in 2010 that Irish farmers are not put at a competitive disadvantage against other European farmers. It has become clear over the last number of years that farming by calendar dates is impractical and does not take cognisance of prevailing weather or soil conditions," he said.
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