Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has said that there needs to be a collective effort by farmers to retain the current nitrates derogation.
The minister made the comments on the Agriland livestream for Ploughing 2023, in association with UPMC, at the Agriland pavilion at the National Ploughing Championships today (Tuesday, September 19).
“We have a big battle now on our hands to keep the derogation we have and to get it renewed whenever it expires at the end of 2025.
“The commission, given the water quality data that we have over the last ten years, wanted a lower threshold than the 220 [kg organic nitrogen (N) per hectare] in the negotiations we had back in late 2021. We fought hard to get it up to the 220,” he said.
Nitrates derogation
McConalogue agreed that there is no guarantee that the derogation will be extended by the EU Commission beyond 2025.
“Our objective, working collectively together with all farmers and all representatives, now is to step out that work that puts us in the position to have a good derogation that maintains what we have but with conditionality and terms and conditions that suit our farming system.
“If we’re not making progress in relation to water quality, we’ll be in an even more challenging position in 2025 than we have been now.
“It’s a derogation from the norm, it requires other member states who have to follow that norm to allow us that extra flexibility.
“They will simply require that we show improving water quality if they are to be asked to grant that,” he said.
The minister said that Ireland has “good reasons” to have a nitrates derogation due to our grass-based farming model and longer growing season.
The minister also pledged to work with farmers who will be most impacted by the drop from 250kg/N/ha to 220kg/N/ha, which could include support measures in Budget 2024.
“I’ve been very focused in terms of being clear and honest with farmers in what the situation is as to the fact that the commission has made it absolutely clear to us that there is no prospect of a statutory amendment to the current derogation.
“The only game and the only show in town now is working to make sure that we renew that derogation at the end of 2025 and keep it for the future,” he said.