Council warns over use of spray on rushes
In recent wet years, some farmers said they lost EU direct payments because they couldn’t travel on the land or graze it to control rushes.
Overgrowth of rushes is interpreted by Department of Agriculture inspectors as evidence that land is not maintained in good “agricultural and environmental condition” — which is necessary to qualify for the Single Payment Scheme and other area based schemes.
Farmers can normally do this by grazing, harvesting forage crops, or by cutting or topping, which keeps scrub and rushes under control and avoids their proliferation. In 2012 and 2013, when it became impossible to top waterlogged fields due to bad weather, inspectors had to include evidence of rush cutting in previous years, when assessing for “agricultural and environmental condition”.
But using herbicides instead of cutting should be an option only if alternative methods fail, according to Limerick City and County Council; for controlling rushes, they recommend land drainage, cutting and grazing.
And if any herbicide programme is to be successful in rush infested areas, drainage work is essential, advised Limerick City and County Council Senior Engineer Tom Tarpey, in a press statement. He said rush management should be considered if rushes exceed 30% of the field area.
He recommended control by cutting and grazing, starting in August Land Drainage offers very significant control of rushes — but should not be carried out on habitat lands. Mr Tarpey said many landowners use chemicals such as MCPA to control rushes in the summer.
However, there is “zero tolerance” for herbicides in waters — so extreme vigilance is required, he said. Cross-compliance rules for farmers claiming EU payments set out the steps to minimise the impact of herbicides on waters.
