Relevant Matter
Public policy or programme
Public Policy Area
EU Affairs
Period
1 Jan, 2024 to 30 Apr, 2024
Specific Details
Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive
Intended results
To support the amendments tabled by the Agriculture Committee which are supported widely by multiple other MEPs who have valid concerns about the position tabled by the Environment Committee. These amendments are required to ensure that the directive will not disproportionately affect farmers and their production methods but will still allow for the knowledge to inform EU Soil Policy to be further optimised.
To emphasise that it is imperative to recognise that soils are highly regulated under multiple European Regulations and Directives. For example, the Common Agricultural Policy has 9 Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAECs) which are tied to the conditionality of Direct Payments with GAEC 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9, all having provisions that relate to the protection and management of soils either directly or indirectly.
The Irish CAP Strategic Plan also applies a voluntary Eco-Scheme which allows farmers to deliver on soil sampling, liming, the sowing of multispecies swards and planting of break crops, all of which further promote the protection and sustainable management of soil.
To highlight that Irish farmers commitment to soil protection and soil health is further exemplified through compliance with the Nitrates Directive and the new measures introduced in the 5th Nitrates Action Programme, which launched in 2022. e
The programme introduced multiple new measures linked to soil and water protection including maximum nitrogen and phosphorous application rates, prohibited slurry spreading periods, the maintenance of green covers on tillage land and the introduction of the National Fertiliser Database.While the River Basin Management Plan under the Water Framework Directive adds another layer of technical implementation for farmers relating to the management of their soils for water quality.
To propose that, in recognition of these commitments, the Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive needs to be an instrument designed to support farmers in decision making rather than applying an additional administrative burden with excessive penalties or the non-relevant disclosure of soil health information to the general public. For this reason, the text should be amended appropriately in the 1st Plenary Session.
To stress that the need for additional funding is essential to achieve the desired goals of the directive. It must not constrict the funding of other agricultural programmes, which play a vital role in supporting the livelihoods and incomes of farm families.
To emphasise that, based on the current text, a massive scaling up of current soil testing facilities is required to account for additional detailed soil indicators which there is currently not the capacity to achieve.
To require that the flexibility of the directive must also be maximised via the tabled amendments to account for the diversity of soil types across Ireland and Europe. For soils to be considered ‘unhealthy' due to the failure of certain indicators presents a huge misunderstanding of agricultural soil dynamics.
To propose that soil data should only be published with the absolute permission of farmers which is currently not accounted for under the Environment Committee text. The abolition of penalties is of paramount importance, incentives should replace the requirement for penalties in the context of this directive.
To emphasise that, in order to avoid further over regulation, there must be a commitment that the Sustainable Soil Management Practices will not go beyond current policy requirements. Above all, the essential function of food production from soils cannot be compromised under the implementation of the directive.
To highlight that the amendments tabled by the Agricultural Committee accurately account for the need for a more multidimensional approach to soil monitoring that understands agricultural production and soil health dynamics, of particular importance will be the removal of binding improvement targets in Article 4 paragraph 2(c) and Article 9 paragraph 4(e).
To seek support from Irish MEP's for the amendments in the 1st reading, tabled by the Agricultural Committee, in the April 10th Plenary Session.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Francie Gorman IFA President, Liam MacHale IFA Director of European Affairs
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.
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.
Barry Andrews
MEP (European Parliament)
Billy Kelleher
MEP (European Parliament)
Chris MacManus
MEP (European Parliament)
Ciarán Cuffe
MEP (European Parliament)
Clare Daly
MEP (European Parliament)
Colm Markey
MEP (European Parliament)
Deirdre Clune
MEP (European Parliament)
Frances Fitzgerald
MEP (European Parliament)
Grace O'Sullivan
MEP (European Parliament)
Luke Ming Flanagan
MEP (European Parliament)
Maria Walsh
MEP (European Parliament)
Mick Wallace
MEP (European Parliament)
Sean Kelly
MEP (European Parliament)