SMALL-SCALE West of Ireland farmers could be forced into using the Low Emission Slurry Spreading [LESS] method from January 1 next, as part of new Government regulations.

The new regulations make it mandatory for farms stocked between 100kgs and 130kgs of organic N [nitrogen] to use the LESS method for spreading slurry.

However, IFA and farmer representatives have called for a ‘deferral and review’ of the regulations on the basis that it will impact negatively on smaller farms, many of them fragmented holdings.

Connacht IFA Chair, Brendan Golden, said that the majority of farmers in this category [100kgs to 130kgs of organic N] were mainly very small-scale drystock operators, many of them with fragmented holdings on difficult ground.

“The options available to meet these requirements set by Government for these farms are not practical, economically viable, or even safe to use.

“We are calling on the new Minister for Agriculture and  Government colleagues to defer implementation of this requirement and review the necessity of this additional and unnecessary cost burden on these vulnerable farm sectors,” said Brendan Golden.

He added that in terms of reducing ammonia emissions and good nutrient management practices, the Department needed to come forward with sensible and practical arrangements for farmers on these lower stocked and smaller scale farms.

“The trailing shoe and dribble bars are not viable options: they are unsafe and economically prohibitive – these small dry stock farmers cannot be forced down this path particularly when tools suitable for their farming conditions are not available,” said Brendan Golden.

Earlier this year,  IFA National Livestock Chair Declan Hanrahan Declan Hanrahan also called on Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue to revisit the proposed regulations on the basis of their unsuitability for smaller and often fragmented farms

“We are calling on the Minister and the Government to review the necessity of this additional and unnecessary cost burden on these vulnerable farm sectors,” said Declan Hanrahan.

Pictured: Brendan Golden, Livestock Representative Killala IFA