The government has been urged to introduce an “unconditional” 60% grant for slurry storage in Budget 2024 next week, by the chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Fianna Fáil TD, Jackie Cahill, said that it is vital that farmers are supported to develop additional slurry storage as part of the government’s objective to improve water quality across the country.
Deputy Cahill said that in light of the cut in the nitrates derogation, which will drop for a large numbers of farmers from 250kg of organic nitrogen (N) per hectare to 220kg N/ha, it is crucial that the right infrastructure is put in place to support this change.
“We need to concentrate on maintaining the 220kg of organic N and we need to be able to go back to Brussels and show that water quality is improving.
“One way to ensure water quality improves is to have enough slurry storage.
“At this time of year farmers are technically allowed to spread slurry yet the ground is just too saturated but if farmers are able to hold it until more optimal conditions, then that just makes common sense.
“To do that they need to have enough storage in place to be able to make the decision to spread slurry when it is most optimal to do so,” Deputy Cahill said.
Budget 2024
He said that it is important that Budget 2024 contains an “incentive grant system” for farmers in relation to slurry storage.
“It has got to be outside the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) to have a meaningful impact; it has got to be a separate fund.
“We know from previous schemes that this will work. We’ve seen in the past that slurry storage schemes have helped to improve water quality so it is in all our interests that slurry storage is increased,” Deputy Cahill added.
He also believes there is a strong appetite among farmers to invest in additional storage facilities.
“When you spread the slurry at the right time you get the greatest benefits from the nutrients and given the cost of chemical fertiliser that delivers a great economic benefit for farmers as well.
“We need to fully utilise our slurry and if we can improve water quality by doing this, then it is of benefit to everyone that it is included in Budget 2024,” the Fianna Fáil TD for Tipperary said.
He also told Agriland that he has had “a lot of discussions” with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, on derogation and believes the minister is aware of the importance of increasing slurry storage.
“Myself and Senator Tim Lombard are the only two members of the Oireachtas that are farming in derogation so we fully know the implications of it and the financial hardship that it is going to bring and I believe the minister has listened to me on derogation,” Deputy Cahill added.