Farmers warn against undermining nitrates derogation

A farm leader has warned that any undermining of the nitrates derogation would do untold damage to Irish family farms and would, overnight, make many of them unviable enterprises.

Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association president John Comer said the nitrates regulations and derogration are up for review in 2017.

He said the regulations contain many aspects, including ‘calendar farming’, that are hugely frustrating for farmers and needs to be looked at again.