Thousands of farmers turn out for 'save our derogation' rally in Bandon
Large crowds turned out for the rally in Bandon on Thursday night. Picture: Denis Boyle
Over 2,000 farmers turned out to a rally in Bandon on Thursday night as frustrations and fears grow over the potential cut to the nitrates derogation stocking rate.
On foot and in tractors and trucks, attendees came from across industry and gathered in the West Cork town as they voiced their concerns about how a decrease from a maximum stocking rate of 250kg of nitrogen per hectare on dairy farms to 220kg can impact on farm incomes, livelihoods, and rural communities.
However, it was not just dairy farmers who turned out on Thursday night, with other sectors in agriculture fearing the knock-on effects the cut will have for them.
This rally came following the Environmental Protection Agency's recent report showing that nitrates "remain too high in rivers, groundwater, and estuaries in the south-east, south-west and midlands and eastern regions".
While negotiations are continuing, the EPA’s report has gone to the European Commission.
The report is part of the interim water quality review process of the Nitrates Action Programme. The review was required by the commission as part of granting Ireland’s nitrates derogation.
The report outlines the regions that could be required to reduce their organic nitrogen stocking rate to 220kg in 2024 under the derogation, as a result of the effect of agriculture on water quality in these areas.
This would likely see a reduction in herd numbers, and add pressure on the land market.
Organised by Cork branches of the Irish Farmers’ Association, Cork Central chairman Conor O’Leary said that he has been getting a “deep sense of frustration” from farmers who want to take action against these restrictions being imposed on them.
“Frustration that they’ve done everything asked of them and yet here we are – and this is a regulation facing us that would reduce our capacity to repay,” Mr O’Leary told the .
“The level of investment by co-ops, investment by farmers, it’s massive.”
Teagasc has previously warned that nitrate banding and a reduction in the derogation to 220kg has the potential to reduce farm profitability by 29% in the most extreme scenarios.
Mr O’Leary said that farmers have "undertaken another waft of measures” to improve water quality recently, but “we're not being allowed time for those to take account".
"Our big ask is that the measures we’re employing are given time to take effect, and that there are other measures we can undertake other than the reduction to 220kg," he said.
“The threat of it has led to turmoil in the land rental market, where farmers are taking ground or looking for ground they don’t really need.
"It’s putting a competitive nature to the land market that the likes of tillage farmers and beef farmers can't compete with. If some farmers have to get bigger to stay the size they are, it means that we’ll have fewer farmers at the end of the day."
IFA poultry chairman Nigel Sweetnam had been urging farmers from all sectors to attend the rally.
He said the event was also heavily supported by co-ops, agri-merchants, and more.
“This isn’t just a dairy problem, this is a problem for the whole rural economy,” Mr Sweetnam said.
“If you take cows and production out of the economy, it will have knock-on effects.”
He said that the main focus of the rally was to “unite people, and show them that we can make a difference”.
“People are not going to take it,” Mr Sweetnam added.
“This is to protect rural Ireland, and stand up for all farmers who feel they have been vilified. It’s time for it to stop and for them to stand up.
“Together we are stronger.”
The Department of Agriculture has gone to the European Commission “about the benefits of a science-based targeted approach that could deliver more for water quality” than a cut to the nitrates derogation, but the commission is “set on pulling down that maximum stocking rate”, according to a senior inspector in the department.
DAFM’s Ted Massey said recently that the department has been seeking “flexibility” around the interim review, and “to try and bring this back to a science-based approach that will deliver for water quality”.
“We’re fully accepting we have to do more but it’s to identify the best way to achieve that without those perverse consequences in terms of demand for land but also to protect farm income,” Mr Massey said.
“There’s a smarter way to do this — should we not be doing it that way?”
