Flexibility sought as derogation decision nears

Affected farmers would have three choices: obtain more land, export nutrients to other farms, or reduce livestock numbers.

Where water quality was found to be poor, or deteriorating over the period 2021 to 2022, the maximum stocking rate would have to be reduced from 250 kg of organic nitrogen livestock manure per hectare to 220 kg, from January 2024.

An EU decision on cutting the stocking rate upper limit on Nitrates Derogation farms from 250kg N/ha to 220kg N/ha is expected in early October, according to ICOS.

Damien O’Reilly, the EU Affairs Manager for the Irish co-operatives organisation, said, “Over the next few weeks, Ireland faces an uphill battle to convince the EU Commission not to revise the stocking rate from 250kg N/ha to 220kg N/ha, affecting around 7,000 farmers.”