Farmers need bailout to liquidate slurry stocks

LIVESTOCK farmers require a major bailout in order to liquidate the large stocks of animal slurry that have built up as a result of the dismal summer and autumn.

Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith and Environment Minister John Gormley decided last Friday to extend the land-spreading credit crunch deadline by two weeks to October 31.

Commentators estimate that, with current soil conditions and forecasts, this extension will not be adequate to allow farmers to fertilise needy fields.

The only sensible solution to prevent a possible pollution timebomb is to suspend the land-spreading ban in the nitrates directive for the remainder of 2008, similar to our neighbours in Northern Ireland.

This has been a wasted opportunity to show real, practical leadership in setting aside this bureaucratic and environmentally flawed rule, and it won’t need a loan, purchase of shares, debt guarantee or even a single euro from our cash-strapped Government.

Harold Kingston

Cork Central IFA

Environment Chairman

Summerhill

Courtmacsherry

Co Cork