Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) president Tim Cullinan has accused the government of using the Nitrates review as a means of introducing further restrictions on farmers.
It follows the most recent Teagasc webinar on the Nitrates review.
The proposals include changes to the rules around soiled water storage and management.
Cullinan said: “I am deeply troubled by the blatant attempt by the department to use this Nitrates Review to deliver on other policy objectives.
“The objective of the Nitrates review is to introduce measures to protect and improve water quality. If there are wider benefits to climate and biodiversity, this is welcome.
“However, the department is now using the Nitrates review as a Trojan horse to implement other measures.”
Cullinan called on the government to undertake a cost-benefit analysis to understand the economic cost of the proposed measures and the associated improvement to water quality, adding that the measures had the potential to challenge the viability of family farms with little improvement to water quality.
“There needs to be full negotiation with farmers around all these measures. These kite-flying exercises dressed up as a consultation process are frustrating and angering farmers,” he said.
IFA Environment chairman Paul O’Brien said the proposed measures to cover slurry stores or the use of LESS have little to do with improving water quality, but more to do with reducing agriculture emissions.
“The review must focus on supporting farmers to improve water quality. It must not be used as a vehicle for the Government to renege on its responsibility to support farmers in the low-carbon transition,” he said.
IFA Dairy chairman Stephen Arthur said it was “infuriating” that the department would think it’s acceptable to place such a financial burden on farms.
Cullinan added that the IFA had sought an urgent meeting with Minister McConalogue and will be making a submission to the Nitrate Action Programme review.