EPA Nitrates Map Highlights Flawed Approach to Water Quality

IFA President Tim Cullinan said the EPA map published yesterday evening outlining the regions that would be required to reduce their organic nitrogen stocking rate to 220kgs per hectare highlights how flawed the interim review of the Nitrates derogation is. 

“The whole interim review process was flawed from the very start. The Minister for Agriculture should have never have signed up to an EU process that was not based on science. The map released, which is nonsensical, is the result of that decision,” he said

“The reality is that this attempt to reduce stocking rates is based on ideology, not science,” he said.

“The Minister for Agriculture needs to get a grip on this situation and stop going along with this charade. If he doesn’t stand up to the Green Party, Irish agriculture will be decimated,” he said. 

IFA National Dairy Chair Stephen Arthur said farmers are up in arms over this ‘red’ map which simply makes no sense.

“The reduction in the stocking rates for derogation farmers in these areas will decimate the incomes of farm farmers for no environmental benefit whatsoever,” he said.

“Derogation farmers have implemented dozens of measures at farm level, including significant additional measures in the last two years which are already showing progress, but that doesn’t suit the current anti-dairy farmer narrative,” he said.

‘The IFA National Dairy Committee will be meeting on Monday to discuss this issue. We have run a serious lobby campaign on this issue with a lot of public representatives supporting our position. However, it seems the Government is ignoring the valid points that they have been making. We are not going away. IFA will continue to fight this unfair review,” he said.