Farmers are being notified today of the interim Nitrogen statement covering cattle numbers held on the farm for the first six months of 2013.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine are notifying farmers via text, issuing messages to farmers whose cattle numbers would indicate that they may be approaching or exceeding the limits set down in the Nitrates regulations.
Nitrogen and Phosphorus statements for the period 1 January to 30 June 2013 are also now available for all farmers online by registering on www.agfood.ie. These N&P statements should assist them in deciding whether or not they need to change their farming practices before the end of the year to stay within the limits set down in the Nitrates Regulations.
Farmers not already registered for agfood.ie can do so by logging onto www.agfood.ie and clicking the ‘Register’ button. To register a mobile phone number for future SMS text alerts log on to https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/mobileupdates/ to access the sign-on form, or alternatively contact the regional office. If a herd owner does not have access to online or SMS text alert notification services, the interim N&P statements can be obtained from the regional offices or from the Department’s Nitrates Section, Johnstown Castle, Wexford.
The Department has confirmed that this exercise will again be repeated later in the year. The use of text messages for provision of interim statements builds on its use last year when it was welcomed as a positive development.