The most recent ‘Tillage Edge’ podcast focuses on the role of buffer zones in protecting and enhancing water quality standards in Ireland.
According to Teagasc Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) advisor, Hugh Rooney, buffer zones are no-spread areas between the edges of fields and adjoining water courses.
These are locations that contain water year round.
“In the first instance, farmers cannot plough within 3m of a watercourse,” Rooney explained.
“In addition, fertilisers or pesticides cannot be spread within 3m of the feature. Where organic manures are concerned, these cannot be spread within 5m of a watercourse.”
According to Rooney, slopes on fields must also be taken account of.
“A watercourse at the bottom of a field is called an intercepting watercourse. It is treated slightly differently than would be the case of a drain at the top of a field,” he said.
“Where late harvested crops are concerned, growers must keep 6m out from a watercourse.”
The Teagasc representative confirmed that the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM) recognises watercourses on the basis of features referenced within Ordinance Survey maps on a scale of 1 5,000.
“Any features marked with a continuous blue line are deemed to be watercourses for official purposes,” he continued.
“These same features may or may not be included in land parcel identification system or LPIS maps.
“But all farmers should walk their own land and make the required call, where these features are concerned. However, the bottom line is going back to the ordinance survey map.”
Irrespective of government policy, Hugh Rooney believes that drains or other features that contain water for six months of the year should be treated as full-blown watercourses from the perspective of establishing buffer zones.
“Water quality is under pressure around the country at the present time,” he commented.
“We have to make inroads in trying to improve this situation. If farmers are in doubt that a specific feature is wet for all or part of the year, then it should be a case of going above and beyond the regulations.
“This can be achieved by simply keeping out from the water body concerned.”
He advised farmers not to plough within 3m of the feature and the same principle holds where the spreading of fertilisers and spraying of pesticides are concerned.