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You are > Home > IFA demands a review of nitrates regulations
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Thursday, July 01, 2010
IFA demands a review of nitrates regulations
THE IFA has called on the government to review nitrates regulations.
The association urged Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley, and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Brendan Smith, to use the review of the nitrates regulations as an opportunity to remove the impractical restrictions that impose unnecessary costs on faming.
The IFA welcomed the permanent removal of the ban on winter ploughing from 1 December each year as an important first step in addressing the anomalies in the nitrates regulations.
"Recent government reports have identified exporting sectors such as agriculture as key to economic recovery. Therefore every effort must be used to eliminate all unnecessary restrictive burdens, such as the ban on winter ploughing which was contributing to an erosion of the competitiveness of grain growers by up to €60 per hectare," the IFA said.
Meanwhile, the organisation’s environment committee chairman, Pat Farrell, has called for a complete review of the restrictive calendar farming regime.
"It is impractical and illogical to expect farmers to farm based on the time of the year, as opposed to soil and ground conditions suitability. This review must provide flexibility, whereby the closed period is defined as a sensitive period, during which it is allowable to spread slurry based on best information from Met Éireann and Teagasc," Mr Farrell said.
"Teagasc has a big role in this review. Their scientific support is required to allow farmers remain in business and work with these restrictive regulations and Teagasc must step up to the mark and produce the science," he added.
In other IFA news, farmers have called for the extension of the transitional provisions for the pig and poultry sectors. IFA officials have met with the Department of Agriculture to seek workable solutions but officials said the department has failed to produce any solutions or guidance.
"It is both unacceptable and unthinkable that the Department of Agriculture would close down the pig and poultry sectors by failing to rollover the transitional provisions. This would add unsustainable costs to the sector, which Teagasc research has shown will add up to €5 million of costs to the sector for every extra 5km haulage," said a spokesman.
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