The outcome of the current review of the Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) will have significant implications for farmers across all sectors of Irish agriculture, according to the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA).

President of the association, Tim Cullinan was addressing the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture earlier today (Tuesday September 14).

He said that the IFA fully recognises the important role the NAP plays within the industry.

“The objective of NAP is to protect water quality through the promotion of good farming practice. If there are wider co-benefits to climate and biodiversity, this is welcome," the IFA president said.

Tim Cullinan said the government must engage in genuine negotiation with farmers to agree a Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) that achieves its objectives, without placing "unnecessary and excessive" requirements on farmers.

Ireland’s NAP gives effect to the requirements of the EU’s Nitrates Directive in Ireland and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has said it “is a critical piece of legislation that all farmers implement on their farms”.

The NAP includes maximum fertiliser rates; manure storage requirements; and periods when manures cannot be spread, among other regulations.

Cullinan continued: “Farmers have made significant investments and changes to farming practices since the introduction of the last NAP.

IFA Environment Committee chairman, Paul O’Brien, said that as custodians of the environment, farmers understand their responsibility to comply with regulations to protect and improve water quality.

“They will continue to engage positively with measures that are scientifically proven to improve water quality. However, they will not accept the introduction of excessive regulations that could undermine the viability of the family farm and do little to improve water quality,” O'Brien said.