Relevant Matter
Public policy or programme
Public Policy Area
Agriculture
Period
1 Jan, 2024 to 30 Apr, 2024
Specific Details
Pig Nutrient Movements
Intended results
To highlight that the proposed 4-day window for notification of nutrient movement poses a very significant challenge for the pig sector given its unique characteristics when compared with other livestock sectors.
Reduced timeframe for reporting livestock manure movements
The proposed 4-day notification period will prove very challenging for dairy and drystock farmers to comply with (a 7-day period was recommended by the water quality group). However, it is completely unworkable for pig farmers who, in most cases, are required to export all their nutrients.
To propose that a key initiative that would improve the verification of slurry movements is to provide importing farmers with the capacity to verify movements via text message.
To highlight that, of critical importance to the slurry movements process working properly and efficiently is the provision of storage tanks on recipient farms. It is imperative the Department of Agriculture expedite swift roll out of 70% grant aid to incentivise the installation of additional slurry storage on importing farms. This is crucial to the adherence of best practice and to the application of plant nutrients to crops at the right time.
To propose that, instead of putting additional obstacles in place that impede the importing of pig slurry, incentives should be introduced that encourage it. These include
1. Roll-out of 70% grant aid scheme for construction of slurry storage.
2. Expedited planning permission process to ensure planning can be obtained in a swift and efficient manner.
3. Enhanced grant aid for slurry processing equipment.
4. The Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) action under ACRES should encourage farmers to use pig slurry. Currently under scheme conditions farmers cannot fulfil this action using pig slurry. Including pig slurry as an option would promote responsible plant nutrient management practices, rather than excluding it which is currently the case and making it ineligible for payment.
5. Pig slurry should be included as a suitable organic fertiliser from Organic farms. Currently it is excluded due to its production system being classified as ‘factory farming origin prohibited' under Article 24 of the EU implementing regulation 2018/848. This needs to be changed to allow its use on Organic farms.
6. The inorganic and organic N allowances for farmers as part of the Nitrates Action Programme should be combined. This would encourage farmers to substitute inorganic or chemical fertiliser with organic fertiliser
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Roy Gallie IFA Pig Committee Chair, Sarah Hanley IFA Policy Executive, Michael Caffrey, Pat O' Keefe, Tim Cullinan
Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?)
No
Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign?
No
Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client?
No
Lobbying activity
The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.
Informal communication (2-5)
Designated public officials lobbied
The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them.
As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.
Amii McKeever
Adviser to Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Charlie McConalogue
Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Heather Humphreys
Minister (Department of Rural and Community Development)
Jackie Cahill
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Barry Cassidy
Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Fiona O'Loughlin
Senator (Seanad)
Martin Heydon
Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Sean Kelly
MEP (European Parliament)
Brendan Smith
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)