ICMSA want Liming Programme end date to be extended to 15 July 2024

Referring and welcoming the decision by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine to allow farmers to receive payment under the Liming Programme where the receipt has been submitted by 31 October 2023, and allowing the lime to be spread up to 31 March 2024, the Deputy President of ICMSA described it a ‘a step in the right direction’. Denis Drennan, who also chairs the association’s Farm & Rural Affairs Committee, said that the extension in the date for spreading from 31 October 2023 to 31 March 2024 recognised the extremely difficult weather conditions over the summer that have continued into the Autumn and are making any field-based jobs extremely difficult. Mr. Drennan noted that that there had been no consistent let-up in the weather that would allow such jobs to be completed. 

“While the extension to 31 March 2024 is welcome, the reality for farmers in particularly wetter parts of Ireland is that a lot of land targeted for lime spreading will probably not dry out sufficiently before April or May next year.  At that stage, the land will have been closed off for first cut silage.  The Liming programme is a welcome initiative, and the Minister should ensure that its benefit is maximised – that is why ICMSA thinks that forcing farmers to spread lime in unsuitable conditions between now and next March would not be sensible. To allow farmers to spread in suitable conditions and thus maximise the benefits of liming while not damaging the land, ICMSA proposes that the date for spreading should be extended to 15 July 2024 to allow farmers to spread the lime after first cut silage – if the weather has not improved sufficiently before then.  This would be a sensible approach and would maximise the benefits of the scheme”, said the ICMSA deputy President.

Ends     9 October 2023

Denis Drennan, 086-8389401

Deputy President, ICMSA.

Or

Cathal MacCarthy, 087-6168758

ICMSA Press Office