ICSA Rural Development chair Edmond Phelan has called on the Department of Agriculture to amend the rules around the importation of organic nutrients so that allowable imports are calculated using the previous year's stocking rate rather than the current year's figures. "Farmers are becoming increasingly frustrated with a system that is not live and does not always reflect the reality on the ground. In many cases they are trying to do the right thing in terms of nutrient management but are left worried about falling foul of the rules and incurring penalties," he said.

 Continuing, Mr Phelan said, "This is particularly challenging for beef farmers who trade animals throughout the year. The slurry spreading season closes at the end of September and under the current system farmers often do not know their exact stocking rate until mid to late January of the following year. This makes it impossible to know exactly how much slurry can be imported during the season. By using the previous year's figures, farmers have the certainty they need to plan effectively."

 He said, "Basing slurry import limits on the previous year's stocking rate would provide a clear and workable reference point. It would give farmers and advisors a straightforward baseline to work from and remove a lot of the uncertainty that currently exists. Right now, people are trying to plan slurry movements without full clarity, which is far from ideal. At a time when fertiliser markets remain extremely volatile, it makes sense to ensure that the organic nutrients already available on farms can be used as efficiently as possible."

 Concluding Mr Phelan said, "The current system is causing unnecessary difficulties during one of the busiest periods of the year. What we are proposing is a common-sense change that would remove a lot of unnecessary complications for farmers. The Department should move to address this without delay so that farmers can manage nutrients with greater certainty for the season ahead."