Plan under consideration

EXPERTS from all 25 EU member states are examining Irish proposals for a Nitrates Regulations derogation that will allow the most commercial dairy farmers to continue with their level of production, and enable farmers to continue to take in pig slurry.

Officials of the Departments of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Agriculture and Food were this week outlining their proposals to the experts on the EU Nitrates Committee.

Department of Agriculture officials have revealed that 16,000 farmers depend on the Nitrates Directive derogation - 10,000 intensive dairy farmers who operate above the 170 kg of organic nitrogen per hectare per year limit for animal manure, and 6,000 farmers who take in pig slurry. Dr Seamus Crosse, Director of Agricultural Research in Teagasc, said their preliminary analysis of the impact on dairying indicated a significant fall in incomes without a derogation, and costs over e1bn for the cheapest form of manure storage to meet minimum requirements.