Nov 20th, 2009

Floods must alter slurry regulations say ICMSA

After the exceptional rainfall in recent days, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will have to introduce exceptional measures to allow farmers implement a clean-up operation on their farms and to ensure that adequate slurry storage will be available for the rest of the year according to Mr. John O'Leary, Deputy President and Chairperson of ICMSA's Dairy Committee.

Mr O'Leary said that farmers throughout the country are reporting flooding on farmland that never flooded before with outlets and run-offs unable to deal with the sheer volumes of rain that fell. He said that many farmers now find themselves in a situation where their slurry stores have filled up with flood waters which they are unable, under the current law, to remove from their slurry tanks until 12 January 2010 at the earliest, while in the northern half of the country the earliest date at which removal is permitted is 30 January 2010.

The ICMSA Dairy Chairman pointed out that we now have the 'absolutely crazy' situation where the water that has flooded into the slurry tanks is deemed tainted and as such cannot be drained off with the result that new slurry cannot be deposited in the tanks because there is no room due to the flood water. ICMSA wants an immediate change to the regulations that will allow farmers whose slurry tanks have been flooded to remove this floodwater from their tanks and to spread on farmland when conditions allow. This is possible, according to Mr. O'Leary, if the affected floodwaters are designated as soiled water and can thus be spread during the slurry spreading close period when conditions are suitable.

Where farmyards have been flooded this provision should be introduced immediately and farmers allowed commence the clean-up operation as soon as possible. Mr O'Leary farmers are under pressure trying to ensure their livestock are kept healthy while meeting the requirements of the Nitrate regulations, he said they desperately need the necessary flexibility on slurry regulations.

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