The government has made a number of changes to slurry spreading rules and regulations on farms across the three zones in Ireland.

The past number of years have seen more farmers and contractors invest in Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) equipment as its use has become mandatory for many.

A document titled: 'European Union Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters Regulations 2022 Statutory Instruments S.I No. 113 of 2022', outlines the new rules on slurry spreading which are coming into effect.

According to the document, LESS equipment must be used for the application of slurry on holdings with grassland stocking rates of:

The document also includes details on circumstances when organic and chemical fertilisers, as well as soiled water, should not be spread.

Organic and chemical fertilisers or soiled water shall not be applied to land in any of the following circumstances:

Furthermore, an additional list of circumstances and methods in which organic fertilisers and soiled water cannot be applied to land are also included in the document.

Organic fertilisers or soiled water shall not be applied to land by use of:

The document also states that organic fertilisers or soiled water should not be applied to land from a road or passageway adjacent to the land, irrespective of whether or not the road or passageway is within or outside the curtilage of the holding.

The table below outlines the permitted spreading dates for organic fertilisers (including slurry) and farmyard manures in 2023:

The following list is a breakdown if the counties in each zone:

However, pre-defined criteria for the application of slurry up to October 15, has been made available by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) - see link below.

Where these criteria are met, farmers may be eligible to spread slurry up to October 15, of that year, according to the DAFM.