National Fertiliser Database – the key dates
The National Fertiliser Database – created to provide for accurate tracking of fertiliser sales and to assist with the regulation of the industry – is now live and open for registration.
Signed into law under the Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Act 2023 in late July, all merchants, co-ops and farmers will have to register. No one can sell or buy fertiliser, including lime, unless registered.
The database sees the creation of two classifications – Fertiliser Economic Operators and Professional Fertiliser End Users. The former encompasses manufacturers, blenders, merchants and importers. Farmers are classified as Professional Fertiliser End Users, along with landscape gardeners and sports clubs.
From September 1st, any farmer or other Professional Fertiliser End User who wishes to purchase either fertiliser or lime must be registered as a Professional Fertiliser End User with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine via Agfood. In addition to having registered to the database, Professional End Users are required to declare closing stocks from September 14th. This information on closing stocks must be submitted by October 15th.
Fertiliser Economic Operators
An important point to note for those farmers involved in the import of fertiliser, farm to farm transfers, and/or retail sale of fertiliser, is that registration as Fertiliser Economic Operators on Agfood is required. This is important to note as from September 1st, all fertiliser transactions along the supply chain must be recorded. This includes fertiliser dispatched from merchants’ premises to farms, moving from farm-to-farm or imported.
Key dates
Timeline for the implementation of the provisions in the legislation is as follows:
- September 1st
- Date from which a person registered on the National Fertiliser Database must submit information to the Minister for the purposes of section 7D (2) of the Fertilisers Feeding Stuffs and Mineral Mixtures Act 1955 and 2023.
- Legislative requirements on the purchase/sale/import of fertiliser come into force.
- Date from which it is an offence to sell or purchase fertiliser without being registered.
- Date from which imports into the State must be notified to the National Fertiliser Database (within 72 hours of import).
- Date from which all data on fertiliser transactions is to be recorded.
- September 14th
- Declaration Date of Closing Stocks for Professional Fertiliser End Users
- September 30th
- Declaration Date of Closing Stocks for Fertiliser Economic Operators
- October 15th
- Date by which Professional Fertiliser End Users and Fertiliser Economic Operators must submit closing stocks, including NIL stock where relevant, to the National Fertiliser Database.
- December 15th
- Date by which Fertiliser Economic Operators must submit September, October and November 2023 sales data to the National Fertiliser Database.
- Date by which Fertiliser Economic Operators must submit December 2023 sales data to the National Fertiliser Database. All monthly sales data from 1 December 2023 are required to be submitted by the 15th of the subsequent month.
- January 15th, 2024
Commenting on the launch of the National Fertiliser Database, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D. said: “The roll-out of the National Fertiliser Database is an important milestone and the culmination of a huge effort by my Department together with industry stakeholders over the past eighteen months to progress the legislation, the IT infrastructure and the communications plan needed to underpin this database. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the Stakeholder Consultative Committee for their constructive engagement during this process.”
He added: “The National Fertiliser Database will require very little additional work for most farmers and will provide a number of benefits. Over the coming weeks, my Department will write to all farmers about the new requirements and department officials will also have a stand at the National Ploughing Championships where individual queries will be answered and assistance with registration will be provided.”