The new National Fertiliser Database has attracted criticism over the requirement for farmers to register for it through online only.
The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association (INHFA) has said that the online registration requirement represents “ever increasing levels of red tape and bureaucracy”.
Speaking this morning (Monday, August 21), John Joe Fitzgerald, the association’s vice-president, said that letters that issued last week in relation to the National Fertiliser Database “came as a surprise to a lot of farmers”.
“What has really annoyed most farmers is the short timeline for registration and the fact that it must be done online.”
“The online registration will be a major issue for many farmers, especially those who are not IT [information technology] savvy,” Fitzgerald said.
He added: “These farmers will now have to chase down their farm advisors who are already under enormous pressure with a very complicated ACRES [Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme] and then pay them to do the online registration.”
Fitzgerald criticised Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue and his department for not providing an alternative to online registration.
“At a time when most farmers are struggling to keep the show on the road and seeing their cash-flow undermined through delayed payments this autumn, you would imagine that the minister and his department would have enough cop-on to at least provide different options for registration.”
The INHFA vice-president acknowledged that a National Fertiliser Database was required in order to implement the eco-scheme under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
However, he said that “it was our understanding that the registration process would not be rushed, complicated,and definitely not restricted to an online registration”.
“It is now vital that the [Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine] immediately review the online registration requirement and the September 1 date,” Fitzgerald said.
From September 1, it will be an offence for anyone to purchase or sell fertiliser and lime without being registered on the database.
Fitzgerald continued: “In this review, [the department] must provide farmers with a phone-in option where they can register across the phone or, if required, have a hard copy sent out to them that they can fill in and return.”
He added: “Indeed, the latter is an option that should have featured in the initial letter, but obviously [the department] didn’t want the [administration] work that this may involve.”
The INHFA vice-president called on Minister McConalogue and the department to review their engagement with farmers.
“In this engagement, it is vital that proper consideration is given to farmers who are not IT savvy.
“So instead of looking at what is in the best interests of the department with regard to limiting their admin, they should, as public servants, facilitate the needs of the public, which, in this instance, is our farming community,” Fitzgerald added.