The Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI) has called for the slurry spreading deadline to be extended and for an extension to the 14-day cultivation rule for tillage farmers.

The group has said that the revised closing date of 1 October 2024 for the application of organic fertilisers to farmland is not practical in a year when farmers have experienced what can be considered to have been a 15-month winter period.

“After a very poor summer grass-growing season, the weather opportunities provided by the increase in air and soil temperatures forecast for this week will force farmers to consider extending grazing seasons, due to a fresh flush of badly needed grass growth.

“Few farmers will not contemplate the option of applying organic fertiliser to these recovering fields and paddocks this week and next week as grass crops struggle to a growth recovery,” said FCI chair John Hughes.

Inedible

“Applying organic fertiliser in these conditions will render these grass crops inedible for grazing animals, without the certainty that grazing opportunities will return over the next four weeks following applications.

"These conditions will force farmers to make decisions that are not in the best interest of their farms or their animals and will not help to reduce the impact of the current reductions in winter feed supplies that have already been well documented by [the] Department and by Teagasc,” he added.

Tillage rules

FCI has also stated that the current rule whereby contractors and farmers must have cultivated land within 14 days of harvesting a cereal crop has become more difficult in 2024, due to cropping and issues that include hedge management and straw baling to alleviate a fodder crisis.

“The application of this rule is not practical in circumstances where crops have to be harvested against the background of unfavourable harvesting weather and where challenges around getting winter and cover crops into the ground are clashing with the need to continue the grass silage harvest on many farms,” said Hughes.

The group said that in recognition of the recent unseasonably late spring cereal sowing season, the Minister for Agriculture should allow for an extended period of time for contractors and farmers to complete the measure.