The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 18 Sep, 2023

Relevant Matter Legislation

Public Policy Area Agriculture

Period 1 May, 2023 to 31 Aug, 2023

Specific Details Nitrates Derogation - Maintaining the derogation at 250kg N/ha

Intended results To highlight the flaws in the 220KGN/ha as opposed to the 250kgN/ha. That IFA propose a 2 year trend assessment Two data points are insufficient to establish a trend and it ignores the influence of lag times. To highlight how the 2 year review ignores recently introduced measures 2018 - 50% Slurry by 15 June and Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) 2020 - Training in Nutrient Use Efficiency, Sustainable farming, Grassland Management/Budget. 2021 - Farm roadway camber away from water, Exclude cattle 1.5m from watercourse, water troughs 20m from watercourse. 2022 - 10% cut in chemical N, Soiled water closed period, Slurry spread by 8th October, Tillage green cover, Plough Grassland only between 1st March and 31st May, Increased inspections - 10%. 2023 - Soiled Water closed period - 21 days, All slurry spread by 1st October, N excretion rate based on Milk Yield, Chemical N purchases register. 2024 - Soiled Water closed period - December To highlight how the 2 year review will impact on farmers and cause a guaranteed Loss of Income Additional Land Rental will cost an average of €6,522 per farm and an overall cost to the Sector of €20.8m. A reduction in cows will cost an average of €18,336 per farm and an overall cost to the Sector of €58.4m. The overall Industry Economic Impact (assuming a 50/50 combination of additional land and reduced cows) - Milk reduction 157m litres, Direct Output Reduction €100m, Economic Impact €236m and Potential Job losses 975. Questionable Impact on Water quality Uneven distribution of nutrients within the farm Intensification of extensive land Potential reduction of N loss in the region of 2.2kgN/ha Variable in year to year weather patterns contributes to N loss of 40kg/ha Impossible to differentiate between the efficacy of measures To highlight the disruption of the Land Market as a direct result of this review - land supply is fixed - To maintain family farms and additional 60,000 acres required - Increased demand for purchased land and leased land - Average land purchase price increased by 18% in 2022-€12,231/acre - Increase of €50/ha (€20/ac) equates to additional cost to sector of €42m per annum - indirect impact on more vulnerable sectors To highlight the loss of goodwill of farmers who have bought in, at great expense, to the nitrates reduction - Investment in Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) and slurry storage is in excess of €200m since 2015 - The Agricultural sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) has resulted in a net improvement in water quality - Enhanced efforts not recognised/acknowledged - Potential for further improvement will be eroded if income potential is reduced - Continued farmer buy in cannot be guaranteed To emphasise that the flawed interim review process must be revisited with the European Commission To highlight that the Interim Review will only be based on comparison of 2022 vs 2021 water quality. The additional measures such as banding will not have had a chance to have an impact/ To highlight that the reduction to 220kg would potentially have a €236m economic impact. It will also increase land rental values and disproportionally impact more financially vulnerable farmers across all sectors. To illustrate that reducing stocking rates will not necessarily improve water quality - the right measure, in the right place, at the the right time principle has been shown to be most effective - not a blanket regulatory approach. It is also imperative that there is full compliance with existing regulations. To highlight how Ireland's grass-based system differentiates us from other indoor systems across Europe. This is a strong justification for Ireland having a Nitrates Derogation. To seek a meeting with An Tanaiste on the Nitrates Derogation

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Tadhg Buckley IFA Director of Policy & Chief Economist/Jarlath Walsh Mayo IFA Chairman, John O'Hanlon IFA Regional Executive Officer, Joe Sweeney IFA Donegal County Chair, Stephen Arthur IFA Dairy Chair, Aine O'Connell IFA Senior Policy Executive

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Meeting (6-10)

Event / Reception (1)

Informal communication (6-10)

Letter (2-5)

Email (2-5)

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Alan Coleman Councillor (Cork County Council)

Alan O'Connor Councillor (Cork County Council)

Amii McKeever Adviser to Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Ann Marie Ahern Councillor (Cork County Council)

Anthony Barry Councillor (Cork County Council)

Audrey Buckley Councillor (Cork County Council)

Barry Andrews MEP (European Parliament)

Ben Dalton O'Sullivan Councillor (Cork County Council)

Bernard Moynihan Councillor (Cork County Council)

Billy Kelleher MEP (European Parliament)

Caroline Cronin Councillor (Cork County Council)

Cathal Rasmussen Councillor (Cork County Council)

Charlie McConalogue TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Chris MacManus MEP (European Parliament)

Christopher O'Sullivan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ciarán Cuffe MEP (European Parliament)

Clare Daly MEP (European Parliament)

Colm Burke TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Colm Markey MEP (European Parliament)

Danny Collins Councillor (Cork County Council)

Declan Hurley Councillor (Cork County Council)

Deirdre Clune MEP (European Parliament)

Deirdre Gillane Chief of Staff (Department of the Taoiseach)

Deirdre Kelly Councillor (Cork County Council)

Deirdre O'Brien Councillor (Cork County Council)

Eileen Lynch Councillor (Cork County Council)

Frances Fitzgerald MEP (European Parliament)

Frank O'Flynn Councillor (Cork County Council)

Frank Roche Councillor (Cork County Council)

Gearóid Murphy Councillor (Cork County Council)

Gerard Murphy Councillor (Cork County Council)

Gillian Coughlan Councillor (Cork County Council)

Gobnait Moynihan Councillor (Cork County Council)

Grace O'Sullivan MEP (European Parliament)

Holly Cairns TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ian Doyle Councillor (Cork County Council)

Jack White Councillor (Cork County Council)

Jackie Cahill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joe Carroll Councillor (Cork County Council)

Joe Flaherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

John Healy Councillor (Cork County Council)

John O'Sullivan Councillor (Cork County Council)

John Paul O'Shea Councillor (Cork County Council)

Karen Coakley Councillor (Cork County Council)

Kay Dawson Councillor (Cork County Council)

Kevin Murphy Councillor (Cork County Council)

Leo Varadkar Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Liam Madden Councillor (Cork County Council)

Liam Quaide Councillor (Cork County Council)

Luke Ming Flanagan MEP (European Parliament)

Lynn Boylan Senator (Seanad)

Marcia D'Alton Councillor (Cork County Council)

Maria Walsh MEP (European Parliament)

Marie O'Sullivan Councillor (Cork County Council)

Martin Browne TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Matt Carthy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Creed Councillor (Cork County Council)

Michael Fitzmaurice TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Hegarty Councillor (Cork County Council)

Michael Looney Councillor (Cork County Council)

Michael Murtagh Councillor (Cork County Council)

Michael Ring TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Micheál Martin Tánaiste and Minister (Department of Foreign Affairs)

Mick Wallace MEP (European Parliament)

Noel McCarthy Councillor (Cork County Council)

Pat Hayes Councillor (Cork County Council)

Patrick Gerard Murphy Councillor (Cork County Council)

Paul Daly Senator (Seanad)

Paul Hayes Councillor (Cork County Council)

Paul Kehoe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ross O'Connell Councillor (Cork County Council)

Seamus McGrath Councillor (Cork County Council)

Sean Kelly MEP (European Parliament)

Sean O'Connor Councillor (Cork County Council)

Sean O'Donovan Councillor (Cork County Council)

Seán Sherlock TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Sheila O'Callaghan Councillor (Cork County Council)

Sinéad Sheppard Councillor (Cork County Council)

Susan McCarthy Councillor (Cork County Council)

Ted Lucey Councillor (Cork County Council)

Tim Lombard Senator (Seanad)

Tony O'Shea Councillor (Cork County Council)

Victor Boyhan Senator (Seanad)

William O'Leary Councillor (Cork County Council)

Ruairí Ó Murchú TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brendan Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Martin Heydon Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Niamh Smyth TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Micheál Martin Tánaiste and Minister (Department of Foreign Affairs)

Deirdre Gillane Chief of Staff (Department of the Taoiseach)