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You are > Home > IFA takes nitrates campaign to constituency offices
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Wednesday, July 21, 2010
IFA takes nitrates campaign to constituency offices
ROSCOMMON IFA Environment Chairman, Mr Donal Greene, has announced the intensification of the nitrates campaign over the coming weeks, as all TDs and Senators will be lobbied by IFA members in their constituency offices.
Mr Greene said: “Over 150 IFA officers met Oireachtas Members in Dublin recently and demanded changes to make the nitrates regulations more workable. Farmers are continuously questioning the logic behind slurry spreading restrictions based on the time of the year and the logic of banning ploughing during the winter.
“The current review of the nitrates regulations is an important opportunity for TDs to accept that changes are required and flexibility must be built in to allow farmers to farm based on best agronomic conditions rather than time of the year,” said Mr Greene.
He has also called for the continuation of the phosphorous provision for the pig and poultry sector and a reduction in the extent of the buffer zone around water abstraction points.
Meanwhile Deputy Frank Feighan said this week that the review of the nitrates regulations must be common sense and should not be based on a polarised ideological debate.
“The arguments on the review of the nitrates regulations need to be objective and not based on ideological differences which only serve to polarise debate. Levels of environmental compliance need to be maintained but the practical implications for day-to-day farmers require a common sense approach,” he said.
“The extension to the deadline that the Minister has had to grant a number of times has demonstrated clearly that farming cannot be strictly done by date. The last two winters have highlighted that the closed periods have proven to be ineffective. Some of the most suitable conditions for land spreading have occurred during the closed period in the last two years. By the same token, periods where spreading was allowed weren’t suitable.
There has to be a more realistic approach,” said Deputy Feighan.
“There have been unforeseen consequences from the winter ploughing ban which should be considered in the review. The traditional system which allowed for a fallow period allowed the soil break down more naturally, whereas the ban has meant soil requires extra cultivation prior to planting which entails an extra cost. Furthermore having a green cover has led to the carry-over of pests and diseases that require the application of extra chemical pesticides and herbicides.
“It is absolutely essential that the derogation for dairy farmers continues. It has proved indispensable for them to operate profitably and there is no evidence the derogations have caused a deterioration in water quality anywhere. The investment farmers have already put in to meeting existing nitrates regulations has already mitigated against the environmental threat the directive was designed to counteract.
“The poultry and pig sectors cannot afford the extra imposition that would result from any significant reduction in the current phosphorus provision. Any reduction in the provision would have a seriously detrimental effect on their industries so it must be extended. There is also no evidence of excess phosphorus getting into the water courses as things stand,” concluded Deputy Feighan.
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