The launch of an online system for recording slurry movement is ‘premature’ according to the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA).

The association’s National Pig Committee chairperson Roy Gallie and National Poultry Committee chairperson Andy Boylan both said that the new online system to record slurry and manure transfers “is not ready to go live on July 1”.

Speaking following meetings with officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine’ Nitrates Division over the past two weeks, the two committee chairs said in a joint statement that: “It’s evident that the transition to mandatory online records of slurry and manure movements is premature”.

“We have trialed the online system and encountered very obvious system failures.

“It must be made much more user friendly and we have asked department officials to consider our suggested amendments,” they said.

Under the department’s current policy, all slurry exports must be submitted online.

“The system has to accommodate farmers who are uncomfortable or unable to use these services,” the joint statement added.

Gallie and Boylan called for a “transitional period”, allowing for both online and paper recording, to be implemented.

“We are very supportive of any measures that will encourage and facilitate the optimal use of organic manures to fertilise land and displace the need for imported artificial fertilisers,” they said.

“However, the requirement due to be implemented in two weeks’ time with an untried system is premature and will have negative consequences,” the statement concluded.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue announced the launch of new system in March.

The new system will replace the almost 16,000 paper forms submitted annually by farmers.

The department argues that the online system will bring a number of benefits, including simplifying the system of reporting of movements and giving farmers access to more prompt information on their compliance with the nitrates limits where they are exporting or importing manure.