The window for fertiliser users, including farmers, to declare their closing stocks for the last year will open from next week.

It is a legal requirement for all professional fertiliser users to submit an annual closing stock declaration to the National Fertiliser Database (NFD), including a 'nil' declaration where no fertiliser is held.

Closing stocks are classified as any fertiliser on hand at 23.59p.m every September 14.

The online facility for declaring closing fertiliser stock for 2026 therefore opens next Tuesday (September 15), and declarations must be made by October 15.

Farms and premises that have no stocks of fertiliser on hand must still make a nil declaration.

Declaration of closing stock can be done by farmers, or their agents, by logging on to the MyAgFood system.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has called on farmers and other fertiliser users to check their fertiliser transaction records on MyAgFood and ensure that the information recorded in respect of their farm is accurate and up to date.

Where fertiliser is supplied to a farmer through a contractor, the relevant fertiliser transaction should be allocated against the customer’s herd number.

Contractors can do this directly through MyAgFood using the ‘Farm to Farm Transfer’ facility.

Details of sales on the National Fertiliser Database are recorded by fertiliser merchants (fertiliser economic operators).

It is the responsibility of these operators to ensure the accuracy of data on the National Fertiliser Database in respect of their customers.

Farmers who have queries regarding purchases of fertilisers should raise concerns with their merchant directly in the first instance.

Where a farmer does have remaining fertiliser at the end of the year, the closing stock declaration should include the type of fertiliser and the quantities of each being held. 

Fertiliser supports

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon is proposing to use leftover funds from the Fuel Income Support Scheme for fertiliser supports.

Pressure has been mounting on the minister to deliver a support scheme for farmers since the €540 million EU Fertiliser Action Plan was approved by member states in July.

Ireland has been allocated almost €15.4 million in emergency assistance which can be made available to farmers.

As part of the package member states are able to complement the EU support by up to 200% using national funds.