The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is to begin writing to farmers who will be impacted by a reduction in the maximum allowable nitrogen (N) stocking rate under the nitrates derogation.

In April, the department published a map highlighting which areas of the country, from December 1 this year, will see the maximum allowable amount of N on the farm holding decrease from 250kgN/ha to 220kgN/kg.

These areas are in addition to the large swathe of the country that reduced to that limit on January 1,2024.

After publishing the map, the department said it was in the progress of identifying exactly which farmers are in these additional areas, and would therefore see a limit of 220kgN/ha apply from December 1 next.

The department said the individualised letters would issue as soon as possible, to herds with stocking rates greater than 170kgN/ha in 2024 prior to exports, and those herds who applied for a nitrates derogation in 2023 or 2024 that have at least one Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) parcel that is moving to the 220kgN/ha derogation stocking rate limit from December.

One letter, seen by Agriland, explains that, under the conditionality attached to Ireland's current nitrates derogation, the maximum nitrates derogation stocking rate is reducing to 220kgN/ha in some additional areas with effect from December 1, 2025.

These additional areas are where the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have identified a need for nitrate reduction measures "as a priority" to improve water quality.

The department explains that if a farmer has land parcels that will be in the 220kgN/ha zone from December 1, then the stocking rate limit for that land for the whole year of 2025 become 247.5kgN/ha (250kgN/ha for 11 months and 220kgN/ha for one month).

The letter states that any changes to land parcels submitted under the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) in 2025 compared to last year will influence nitrates allowance.

Farmers are advised to check this maximum stocking relate allowance if they have submitted alternative land under BISS this year, which can be done on an interactive map on the department's website.

If a farmer has any part of a parcel within an area remaining at 250kgN/ha, then the whole parcel will remain at that higher limit rather than 220kgN/ha.