2007 deadline for pig producers

OCTOBER 2007 is the new deadline for the country's biggest pig producers to comply with the Nitrates Regulations which were signed into law by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government at the weekend.

Farms with Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) and Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) licenses are responsible for 80% of pig production in Ireland, and they have been told they can continue to operate under those licenses until they are reviewed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

"The date for completion of this exercise is October 2007", said Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan.