Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has confirmed that he will seek a number of measures to provide aid in the construction of slurry storage capacity.
As reported by Agriland earlier, measures to offset the cost of slurry storage were expected to form part of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s allocation in Budget 2024, which was announced today (Tuesday, October 10).
The department has now confirmed a range of measures that will be sought and implemented, after the government allocated just over €1.9 billion to the department for next year.
However, where slurry storage in concerned, engagement with the European Commission will be required in order to approve increased grant aid.
From the start of 2024, most of the country will see the the nitrates derogation cut from 250kg of organic nitrogen (N) per hectare to 220kg N/ha.
This is set to put significant pressure on dairy farmers farming between these two values, with the exportation of slurry seen as the most expedient and least problematic way of offsetting their organic N stocking rate (compared to reducing cow numbers, for example).
However, this has led to concerns over slurry storage capacity on farms that might be in a position to import slurry.
In the wake of the budget today, the department said that a number of new measures under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) would be developed “in the context of dealing with the nitrates derogation changes”.
The minister said: “I will engage with the European Commission to secure changes to the TAMS investment aid scheme to allow the introduction of a separate investment ceiling for all farmers building additional storage facilities on farm, beyond regulatory compliance.
That support, if confirmed, will be available at the current TAMS rate of 40%, or 60% for young and/or female farmers.
In addition to that, Minister McConalogue also confirmed that he would seek approval to introduce a dedicated support measure to provide 70% support for manure storage facilities on farms importing livestock manure under a contract relationship.
In other nitrates-related measures, the minister said that he would continue support for the soil sampling scheme and the multi-species sward scheme.
“Following the successful initial phase of the soil sampling scheme, I will shortly open a further phase of this work with the ambition of supporting the taking and analysis of up to 90,000 samples over the next 12 to 18 months,” he said.