Penalty for exceeding nitrates directive stocking limits cut to 5%

The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association has welcomed the Department of Agriculture’s decision to only impose a 5% penalty on the payments of farmers who have exceeded nitrates directive stocking limits.

Farmers were previously docked 15% of their farm payments for exceeding the nitrates directive.

The department’s penalty revision applies to those farmers with an approved derogation, who exceed the stocking limits set down in their derogation of 250kg nitrates per hectare per year, but are less than or equal to 300kg nitrates per hectare per year.