A Co. Cork farmer has stressed the importance of the nitrates derogation for the dairy sector to "continue our way of farming" in Ireland.

Dairygold hosted Ireland South MEPs Billy Kelleher, Seán Kelly, and Michael McNamara at its recent 'Farming for Water: To Protect Our Future' event on the farm of Kevin and Margaret Twomey in Ballyhooly, Co. Cork.

The event highlighted the work being done by Dairygold and its members as part of the River Blackwater Catchment Programme, as they try to ensure the sustainability of the dairy industry in the region.

The event heard from speakers from Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), Teagasc, and Dairygold, who all highlighted the work being done to improve water quality on farms and provide evidence to further support the dairy industry’s calls for a retention of the EU nitrates derogation in Ireland.

Dairygold has said that if the EU removed its nitrates derogation, it would have a significant negative economic impact on milk processors and farmers in Ireland, challenging the future viability of their businesses and severely negatively impacting the rural economy.

Dairygold's head of member services and engagement Billy Cronin told Agriland that the dairy co-op has 2,500 milk suppliers with 60% of its farmers in derogation, stressing the importance of the measures being taken by Dairygold and its farmers to protect Irish waters.

The River Blackwater runs though the farm of Kevin Twomey. The Co. Cork farmer said at the event that implementing effective nutrient management and protective measures is key in maintaining and improving water quality status in the river.

He stressed that everyone has a role to play, and that there are "small steps everyone in farming can take that will contribute" to the improvement of water quality.

Twomey said: "All sectors are involved - it's not just dairying, not just beef, not just arable, it's poultry and pigs as well.

"You might not be on the river, but whatever is leaving your farm goes to a stream or a river and ultimately into an estuary. We all have a part to play.

"It has been there before us and it will be there behind us."

Ireland's grazing system is "unique" and "sets us apart" from other European countries, Twomey told Agriland.

"Having the derogation is really important that we continue our way of farming in terms of grassland management and stocking rate effect.," he said.

"Losing it may change our system of farming, which ultimately might not be good long-term - you could have unintended consequences as well."

MEP Billy Kelleher said that it is clear that the derogation is "critically important for family farms, for succession, for inter-generational transfer", and also to ensure the dairy sector is "underpinned by strong production of milk".

"This is a critically important juncture for Ireland in terms of retaining the derogation," Kelleher said.

"Government, MEPs, the industry, and stakeholders must make a national effort now to achieve the derogation and maintain it for a long period of time into the future to give farmers certainty.

"We have to show that the effort we're making is having an impact on water quality, and show with the efforts being made and time and further investment at farm level that we will be able to get to a situation where water quality in Ireland will be in pristine condition, bearing in mind we're starting from a high position already compared to many other European countries.

"I would be confident if the evidence and the effort are put together and presented to the commission, they have no choice but to grant the derogation to ensure that we have certainty into the future."

MEP Sean Kelly said there is a "strong case" to be made by Ireland to secure a derogation "not just for one year, it has to be for a few years because no farmer can plan based on what might happen one year to the next".

Kelly added that with the process around formation of the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) "kicking off now", a "well-funded" CAP with "clear simple rules" is also vital for farmers.