Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 Nov 2001

Vol. 543 No. 3

Written Answers. - Rural Environment Protection Scheme.

Ned O'Keeffe

Question:

95 Mr. N. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the environmental reason for imposing the condition under the new REP scheme that a farmer participating in the REP scheme must ensure that the amount of chemical nitrogen used is not greater than the organic nitrogen spread; and if he will consider allowing an exemption for existing REP scheme participants who do not keep livestock and whose main farm enterprise is growing hay and silage for sale and who wish to enter into a further REP scheme contract when their initial contract expires. [27194/01]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh):

Under measure 1 of the REP scheme, each participant is required to follow a nutrient management plan. The objective of a nutrient management plan is the more efficient use of nitrogen and phosphorous to ensure that a proper balance is achieved between the level of nutrient application and crop requirements. Organic nitrogen is a valuable resource and its proper management results in a controlled recycling of organic wastes and reduced dependency on chemical nitrogen in crop production. Achieving a proper balance between nitrogen inputs and crop requirements contributes to environmental sustainability. REP scheme farms with low organic nitrogen availability have a low stocking density. To maintain these stocking levels there is no need to use levels of chemical nitrogen above the levels of organic nitrogen applied.

It would be difficult, if not impossible, on environmental grounds to justify a REP scheme payment in a situation where the organic nitrogen potential of a crop produced is disregarded in the nutrient management plan. REP scheme participants whose main farm enterprise is the growing of hay and silage for sale are in effect net exporters of organic nitrogen. Nationally there is a surplus of organic nitrogen, particularly on pig farms, which needs to be recycled. Therefore the REP scheme, as an agri-environment scheme, requires farmers whose main farm enterprise is the growing of hay and silage for sale to import organic nitrogen to compensate for the organic nutrients exported, thus contributing to the environmental management of organic waste. Existing REP scheme contracts will be adhered to, but all new five-year contracts under REPS 2000 must adhere to the requirement that the maximum level of chemical nitrogen can never exceed the planned level of organic nitrogen to be applied. The importation of organic nutrients from other farms is permitted under the scheme and should where appropriate be provided for in the agri-environmental plan.