ICMSA meet EU Commission on “Absolutely Critical and Indispensable” Nitrates Derogation.

Speaking following a meeting with EU Commission officials in Carlow today (Monday 16 Sept) on the issues around retention of the Nitrates Derogation, the President of ICMSA, Denis Drennan welcomed the visit of the Commission officials to Ireland to see ‘first hand’ the work being done by Irish farmers to improve water quality in our unique grass-based system of production.

Mr. Drennan said that he hoped that the Commission heard the message ‘loud and clear’ that farmers are working hard on water quality – and will continue to do so. The ICMSA President said that it was imperative that farmers are given the time to deliver the water quality improvements that will follow efforts already made, as well as those currently underway and planned. He was confident that a fair assessment will continue to allow Ireland to farm at a level that will deliver sustainability on an economic, social, and environmental basis.

Mr. Drennan said it is a demonstrable fact that that there are farmers faming at 250kgs per ha in areas where water quality is pristine, which clearly shows that farming above the 170kg derogation level is not a negative from a water quality perspective. He said that the key challenge going forward must involve ‘the right measure in the right place’ rather than blanket, ‘one-size-fits-all’ measures that will destroy the economic and social fabric of rural Ireland and critically undermine our largest indigenous industry.   Mr. Drennan said that the retention of the Derogation is absolutely critical and indispensable if the family farm model of is to have any chance of survival. It was simply a fact that many small and medium sized farms were dependent of the Derogation to deliver a reasonable standard of living.

The ICMSA President said that Ireland must be allowed a reasonable time period to prove the effectiveness of the measures already undertaken in support of our retention of the Derogation:  “farmers are working daily on their farms to improve water quality, and we also have the whole range from ACRES to Conditionality to ASSAP to EIPs to Eco-schemes to TAMS to Sustainability Schemes,  all also combining to contribute and improve. Farmers have changed, they are continuing to change and have invested massively in environmental improvements on their farms.   The science clearly shows that there is a time-lag between measures being introduced and improvements in water quality and ICMSA is asking the Commission to recognise the science, recognise that time-lag, and give farmers the time needed to deliver and show the improvements, while we continue to farm under a Derogation that is just simply the basis for the survival and continuation of so many Irish farms.”

Ends    16 September 2024

Denis Drennan, 086-8389401

President, ICMSA.

Or

Cathal MacCarthy, 087-6168758

ICMSA Press Office