At present, under EU law, Irish farmers may lawfully spread up to 250 kg per hectare of organic nitrogen under certain conditions. It’s a derogation for Irish farmers under the EU Nitrates Directive which was introduced in 1991 to prevent the pollution of surface waters and groundwater from agricultural sources. But the EU Commission says this derogation for the Irish will end in 2026. From that time on, farmers in this country may only spread 170kg of organic nitrogen. Jerry spoke to Noel Murphy from Milltown who’s the national chairperson of the Irish Creamery and Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) dairy committee.
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