Nitrates action programme warning

THE nitrates action programme, which the Government has submitted to the European Commission, must not prevent farmers from maximising their grass production, IFA national treasurer Padraig Walshe has warned.

He said livestock farmers are facing income losses from falling cattle prices and the impact of WTO changes to beef markets. He said farmers must be supported in maximising their production from grass with systems that allow them to graze late into the autumn and early winter, and early in the spring, reducing the amount of manure storage they need.