The Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI) is in favour of a future end-date for splash-plate slurry spreading systems, on a number of conditions.
One year’s notice would have to be given prior to the chosen end-date for the use of splash-plate systems, according to the FCI.
Land-based contractors are currently seeing an increase in their slurry spreading workloads, the association added; more and more farmers are availing of efficient and cost-effective slurry spreading services from contractors in Ireland.
Workload capacity wouldn’t be an issue if the splash-plate ban was to be enforced, as in most other countries in Europe, according to the CEO of the FCI Michael Moroney.
Irish land-based contractors would have the capacity to provide an expanded slurry spreading service using a host of low-emission slurry spreading systems.
Moving forward, grant aid for low-emission slurry spreading machinery or conversion kits for existing machines is a viable option, the FCI stated.
The FCI outlined its suggestions in its recent submission to the Clean Air Strategy public consultation process.
Image source: Shane Casey
The introduction of grant aid would allow contractors, who are the major operators of slurry spreading machinery, to more easily access and promote the use of low-emission slurry spreading technology on Irish farms, the association claimed.
The FCI believes that Ireland should follow initiatives in Europe and set a future end-date – with a one-year notice – for the use of splash-plate slurry spreading systems.
‘TAMS II could be more effective’
There would be a greater uptake of low-emission slurry spreading technology if the grant support was targeted at funding farmers who used invoiced contractor services, that operated low-emission spreading systems, according to the FCI.
As it stands, the current TAMS II grant support scheme excludes non-farming contractors from accessing grant aid support for the purchase of new, low-emission technology machine systems, the FCI stated.
Meanwhile, contractors’ farmer customers have access to significant grants, the association added.
This situation puts farm contractors at a competitive disadvantage and, more importantly, does not ensure that these low-emission spreading machines are going into the hands of the operators, namely contractors, who are carrying out the bulk of the slurry spreading on Irish farms.
The FCI confirmed that most of its land-based contractor members, who already operate slurry spreading services, have machines equipped with low-emission slurry spreading systems.
These may consist of dribble bars, trailing shoes and other low-emission spreading systems – such as swivel-spout devices; all of these systems are designed to produce lower emission levels than conventional splash-plate systems, the FCI concluded.