Under EU regulations governing the Direct Payments Schemes and Rural Development measures, 1% of applicants must be inspected annually to ensure compliance with the various Statutory Management Requirements (SMRs) under Cross Compliance requirements, of which SMR 1 relates to the Nitrates Regulations. A total of 1,469 and 1,423 inspections were completed in 2018 and 2019 respectively to meet this regulatory requirement.
In addition, under the Nitrates regulations and the Nitrates Action Programme, my Department is required to inspect 5% of Nitrates Derogation applicants annually. Farmers are obliged to ensure compliance with the limits of the Nitrates Regulations, thus avoiding penalties for breaching the limit of 170 kgs of Nitrogen per hectare or, for those who hold an approved derogation, the limit of 250 kgs of Nitrogen per hectare. Nitrates Derogation applicants are subject to additional conditions designed to protect water quality. A total of 370 and 341 inspections were completed in 2018 and 2019 respectively to meet these regulatory requirements.
Furthermore, Local Authority Nitrates inspections under the Nitrates Regulations are carried out annually under an agreement with my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. A total of 853 and 1,086 inspections were completed in 2018 and 2019 respectively under this agreement.