Vol. 524 No. 6
173 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the inspections and analysis that is carried out with regard to the use of fertilisers in the production of food crops; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23499/00]
Chemical fertilisers, held at manufacturers' and retailers' premises, are subject to routine inspections by my Department. Labelling is examined for compliance with EU and national legislation and samples of material are taken for analysis. The analysis of each sample is carried out by the State laboratory and is used to determine whether or not the fertiliser complies with the declaration on the label. In the 1999-2000 marking year, 161 samples were taken for analysis. My Department maintains ongoing contact with fertiliser trade interests with a view to ensuring full compliance with statutory requirements on the marketing of fertilisers.
The marketing of fertilisers is regulated under both EU and national legislation mainly as regards the types of products which may be sold and their labelling requirements.
The code of good agricultural practice contains recommended nitrogen levels to protect waters from pollution while under the REP scheme strict limits are applied to application rates of fertilisers. An evaluation of the REP scheme in 1999 concluded that the reduced levels of nitrogen application on farms covered by the scheme has succeeded in reducing environmental problems. Any misuse of fertilisers, as with many crop inputs, may have implications for either the environment and for human health.
