Opposition has been voiced to plans to effectively ban unprotected granular urea from mid-September 2025.

The IFA and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) both criticised the proposal in their submissions on the public consultation on additional measures for the current Nitrates Action Programme.

The IFA claimed it is “premature in the extreme to impose an effective ban on unprotected granular urea” but recognised the “positive role that protected urea can play” into the future.

“Farmers across the country have justifiably raised concerns with regards to the effectiveness and efficacy of the unprotected urea in certain conditions and/or soil types further increase the regulatory burden,” the association said in its submission to the consultation.

The protected product is used to reduce the emission of ammonia and nitrate oxide from fertiliser usage

The IFA stated that there should be no phase-out date set for unprotected granular urea until these concerns are addressed.

Banning traditional urea would have “no impact on water quality”, the ICMSA’s submission said.

“The protected product is used to reduce the emission of ammonia and nitrate oxide from fertiliser usage.

“We are unclear as to how this could be used to reduce the amount of N in our soils if we simply replace the use of one for the other.”

Other measures

The IFA noted that a 5% reduction proposed for the chemical fertiliser limits on farms stocked above 170kg organic N/ha “increases the risk of future deficits in fodder production nationally”, with the ICMSA also opposing the move.