Farmers have already done a huge amount to keep our water clean but are now being pushed to the point of financial ruin, writes Tom Dunne
No one could disagree with The Irish Times leader's insistence ("Farmers and Pollution", May 22nd) that ordinary citizens are entitled to protection from any sector that deliberately damages and pollutes the environment. And that polluters should be held to account.
Our 140,000 farmers do not deliberately or carelessly allow any discharge of manure or effluent from their farms. Nor do they condone any individuals who do not act responsibly in protecting the environment.
Farmers live and work in the countryside and they drink the water. Arguably, they have a greater interest than most in a clean high-quality rural environment.
Clean water and a high-quality rural environment are very much part of the business of farming. Under food safety and dairy hygiene regulations, the water farmers use in producing milk must meet quality standards.
The extensification of farming and compliance with the Department of Agriculture's Code of Good Farming Practice are conditions for receiving farm supports. Thirty-nine thousand farmers have also entered contractual agreements with the Government to meet even higher standards through their participation in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme. This participation is planned to increase to 55,000 farmers.
Throughout the debate there is little acknowledgement of the changes that have occurred in farming and the fact that farmers follow the advice they receive, particularly in the use of fertiliser inputs. Far from wastefully using fertilisers, consumption of the key inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus has fallen significantly.
Phosphorus use by farmers peaked in the early 1970s at over 90,000 tonnes and has dropped to about 40,000 tonnes today. Nitrogen usage has also fallen. Fertiliser use surveys confirm that farmers use fertilisers as they are advised to do so. It is worth noting that in recent years official advice has moved towards less fertiliser. Teagasc's advice on phosphorus was revised downwards in 1997 and its broader nutrient advice was revised in 2001 and, again most recently, earlier this year.
Ireland scores very well in the Eurovision of water quality. The EPA's latest water-quality monitoring (up to the end of 2002) reports that 70 per cent of our rivers are unpolluted and 85 per cent of our lakes are in a satisfactory condition. This follows an improvement in water quality on previous reports. Indeed, there has been a decline in the amount of river channel classified as seriously polluted from 1 per cent to 0.5 per cent, most of which is caused by municipal and industrial discharges.
Given that our water quality is improving, why is the Government opting for the very severe restrictions in its action programme that are unnecessary?
The reality is that the Government's proposals on an action programme for Ireland under the EU's nitrates directive, including a limit on organic nitrogen applications of 170 kg per hectare, will force our best farmers to reduce their livestock numbers, which as a consequence will reduce their incomes. It will also limit their capacity to compete using the key natural advantage that Ireland has, which is livestock production from grass.
The consequences for our agri-business have also been recognised. Jerry Henchy, chief executive of Dairygold, said: "The stocking rates imposed by the proposed 170-kg nitrate limit will force most Dairygold suppliers to cut stocking rates by 15 per cent to 20 per cent, with a consequent increase in milk production costs and a cap on future expansion potential. We believe this would be disastrous for the future of dairying in the region."
Teagasc has estimated that over 13,000 dairy farmers have stock levels equivalent to more than the 170-kg limit. This group accounts for most of our total national milk production. These farmers are not big by European or national standards. Typical examples are the suppliers to the west Cork co-ops, who are farming 60 acres with 50 cows plus their replacement stock. They exceed the 170-kg limit. Executives of the Ballyroe Co-op have estimated an average income cut of €6,000 a year will be imposed by the nitrates action programme on their suppliers.
The intolerable situation for farmers facing a 170-kg organic nitrogen limit is that this restriction is not supported by scientific research into the impact of farming on water quality under Irish conditions. Teagasc's own research shows there is certainly no damage to ground water at organic nitrogen levels of 220 kg per hectare.
Indeed, many scientists believe that 250 kg per hectare is safe and acceptable under Ireland's unique growing conditions. It is regrettable that Teagasc has not come out more clearly with its assessment of the Government's proposals and the damage they would cause to Irish agriculture.
It is clear that farming will be damaged by the restrictions proposed by the Government, but there is no evidence we can be assured of any further improvements in water quality.
IFA has repeatedly given a public pledge on behalf of its 85,000 farmer members to support measures that are necessary to protect our rural environment and water quality. The Government must remove the 170-kg limit from its nitrates action programme before irrevocable damage is done to Irish agriculture for no environmental gain.
Tom Dunne is a north Cork dairy farmer and chairman of the Irish Farmers' Association environmental committee