As first-cut silage is being harvested and stored on many farms across the country, it is time to ask yourself whether the way you stack your silage bales is the correct method.
This week Teagasc is advising farmers to bear in mind conditionality rules under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) when stacking silage bales.
The rules relating to stacking silage bales are contained within Statutory Management Requirement 2 (SMR 2) Protection of Waters Against Pollution caused by Nitrates and came into force in 2023.
Conditionality relates to the climate and the environment, public health, animal health and plant health, and animal welfare.
Stacking silage bales
The rules dictate that silage bales cannot be stacked more than two bales high or stored within 20m of a surface water or water abstraction point unless there are storage facilities in place to collect any potential effluent.
Teagasc is advising that this rule also applies to the storage of haylage bales, while farmers making low dry matter (DM) bales of silage, without appropriate storage facilities, should assess whether stacking two high is appropriate.
The regulations also include information in relation to the handling of silage effluent. Such facilities will be required where bales are stacked more than two high or when silage is stored in a pit, according to Teagasc.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has stated that effluent produced from ensiled forage must be collected and stored, and all organic fertiliser storage facilities must be fit for purpose and free from structural defects.
Farmers are also required to collect and manage all organic fertilisers (including silage effluent) in a way that will prevent run-off or seepage, directly or indirectly, into groundwaters or surface waters.
This has to be carried out prior to spreading it on land.
Inspections
If a farm is selected for an inspection, as part of either conditionality or the nitrates derogation, inspectors will complete measures and checks to ensure storage facilities are ‘fit for purpose’.
Teagasc said the inspectors will also check to see how silage bales are stored. If they find any non-compliance with the rules, farmers may face a penalty on their direct payments.
All nitrates records must be provided should an inspector request them such as an estimate of how much fertiliser is needed for the year, records of livestock manure and organic fertiliser moved onto or off the holding or the facilities a farmers has for storing livestock manure and effluent from manure or silage pits.