New Nitrates Action Plan proposes to drop shallow cultivation for tillage farms
IFA grain chair Kieran McEvoy said the proposals for restricting the timing of organic manures in the autumn period were 'totally impractical' and could have caused several negative unintended consequences for tillage and livestock farmers.
The Irish Farmers’ Association has welcomed proposals to remove shallow cultivation from the draft version of Ireland’s sixth Nitrates Action Plan.
IFA grain chair Kieran McEvoy said: “Since 2022, the mandatory requirement to cultivate at least 75% of stubble ground left over winter has placed a burden of significant costs for fuel, labour and machinery. Small farmers without access to appropriate stubble cultivation equipment are particularly affected."
The proposals, published in the summer by the Nitrates Expert Group, recommended an increase in the area required for cultivation, which was concerning.
“Undoing the amendment exempting land destined for winter cropping from shallow cultivation would have been a retrograde step and one which would have caused a lot of confusion at the farm level,” Mr McEvoy added.
“IFA met with officials from the Nitrates and Biodiversity Division of DAFM to highlight the significant cost and safety issues that a further increase in cultivation would entail,” he said.
The IFA grain chair said the proposals for restricting the timing of organic manures in the autumn period were "totally impractical" and could have caused several negative unintended consequences for tillage and livestock farmers.
“Under its submission to the Nitrates Action Plan consultation process, IFA will be strongly advocating to remove shallow cultivation from any future legislation concerning nitrates,” Mr McEvoy said.
“Farmers will be relieved to see that officials have taken their concerns on board and that a common-sense approach has prevailed,” he added.
