Intensive cattle rearing may come under scope of emissions directive

MOVES are being made at European Union level to bring intensive cattle rearing and the spreading of manure under the scope of the Industrial Emissions (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control) Directive.

Ireland East MEP Mairead McGuinness said the proposal would see the Commission reviewing the need to control emissions from intensive cattle rearing and the spreading of manure by December, 2012. It would also review the thresholds at which pig and poultry farms would come within the scope of the directive.

“These are very significant proposals from a farming perspective and could see larger dairy farms requiring an IPPC licence, with manure spreading also requiring such a licence.”