The implementation of the pilot Soil Sampling and Analysis Programme has been a “shambles” according to the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA).

On Friday (January 28), it was reported that over 8,000 farmers who applied for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) scheme have missed out on a place.

The department said that the pilot project had been “heavily oversubscribed“.

The total number of applications for the programme surpassed 15,800 farmers, while just over 7,800 farmers were accepted into the programme.

The €10 million programme, which ran on a ‘first-come first-served basis’, was launched last September by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue.

Soil Testing

IFA Environment Committee Chair, Paul O’Brien branded the implementation of the scheme “a shambles”.

As ground conditions are good farmers have been eager to spread slurry and fertiliser, however the scheme criteria advises against sampling soil that got fertiliser or slurry in the previous three months.

O’Brien said that the failure to organise timely soil sampling for those accepted into the programme will result in many not being able to participate.

“Due to delays in soil sampling, some farmers who were accepted in December have taken the decision to press ahead with lime and slurry applications, which makes sampling over the coming weeks pointless.

“Owing to the delays in implementation, many of the farmers who were initially accepted into the programme have been forced to complete soil sampling at their own expense,” O’Brien explained.

“If the department is serious about encouraging farmers to embrace climate action, this is not the way to do it. At a time when fertiliser prices have reached unprecedented levels, the need for timely soil sampling has never been more important,” the IFA chair continued.

“Soil sampling and analysis will play an important future role in managing soils in an environmentally sustainable way; however, any future schemes must be better designed and have the practical realities of day-to-day farming in mind,” O’Brien concluded.