Press release
Ministers respond to weather conditions preventing spreading of farmyard manure
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
In response to poor soil trafficability conditions, especially over recent weeks the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, and Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, have moved to give flexibility to allow farmyard manure that is currently appropriately stored on land to remain in place over the closed spreading period.
Minister McConalogue stated:
“The nature of farmyard manure limits the opportunities for spreading. The wet weather this summer and autumn meant many farmers could not spread farmyard manure without the risk of severe damage to soil structure. Minister O’Brien and I recognise this and as a result we have moved to give impacted farmers clarity. Farmyard manure that is currently appropriately stored on land can remain there for the duration of the closed period this Winter."
Minister O’Brien stated:
“Given the circumstances an extension to the spreading period for farmyard manure was not deemed appropriate from a water quality perspective. We must be conscious of the need to protect our soil as impacts on soil increases sediment and nutrient loss to watercourses. As a result, this limited exemption from the Regulations will apply this Winter as a once-off measure in response to the very difficult weather conditions, especially over recent weeks.”
Under the Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Waters Regulations (SI 113 of 2022, as amended), farmyard manure can’t be stored on land from 1 November until mid-January and in the case of counties Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim and Monaghan until 31 January. However, arising from the exceptionally wet summer and autumn this year, there are many farmers that have been unable to spread farmyard manure without doing significant damage to soil structure.
From an environmental perspective, given current soil conditions the risk of damage to the soil and associated risks to water quality outweighs the risk to water quality if the farmyard manure remains in a compact heap that is appropriately located.
The exemption from the rule only applies to existing heaps of farmyard manure that are currently stored on land in an appropriate location, respecting set back distances and that ensures there is no risk of run-off or seepage, directly or indirectly, into groundwaters or surface waters. Such manure should remain in a compact heap until the end of the closed period next January. At that point it can remain stored on the land in accordance with the Regulations until there is a suitable opportunity for land spreading.
Where farmyard manure remains in dungsteads, or other suitable farmyard facilities, it should remain there until the end of the closed period. If storage capacity in such facilities becomes an issue before the end of the closed period, the farmer is advised to engage with their Local Authority to discuss the most appropriate way to deal with the situation.
The Ministers concluded by advising that appropriate sanctions would apply where a farmer is found to have stored farmyard manure inappropriately or to have spread it during the closed period.