New rules on recording slurry movements come into play

Farmers exporting slurry or other organic manures need to be aware that new rules in regard to the recording of movements have come into effect since January 1, 2025.

Farmers exporting slurry or other organic manures need to be aware that new rules in regard to the recording of movements have come into effect since January 1, 2025.

With farmers in Zone A and B now permitted to apply organic manures, and the prohibited period for applications set to end at midnight on January 31 for farmers in Zone C (Donegal, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan), farmers are now required to notify the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) within four days of exporting an organic manure from their holding. In order for this export to be considered valid, it must also be confirmed or verified by the recipient. Key dates in relation to this have been shared by DAFM recently:

• With effect from the 1^st of January 2025 organic nutrient movements must be declared by the exporter within four days of the movement taking place;
• Organic nutrient movements made between the 1^st of January and the 30^th of June 2025 must be verified no later than the 14^th of July 2025;
• Organic nutrient movements made between the 1^st of July and the 31^st of December 2025 must be verified no later than the 14^th of January 2026.

The two primary ways farmers can notify DAFM of an organic manure export or to verify an import are the DAFM’s recently launched Nutrient Movement App or using the Nitrogen and Phosphorus section of agfood.ie. More details on both are available here.

LESS changes

Additionally, more farmers will now be required to use Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) technologies this year. After previously becoming compulsory on farms stocked above 130kg of organic nitrogen (N) per hectare in 2023 and following a phased approach, Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) equipment must now be used for the application of slurry on holdings with grassland stocking rates of 100kg N/ha from grazing livestock manure or above prior to export of livestock manure from the holding from January 1st, 2025. Additionally, the use of LESS is required for all pig slurry applications. And where livestock manure is being applied to arable land, the use of LESS equipment is a required, unless the livestock manure is incorporated into soil within 24 hours after application.

Also read: Focus on ground conditions and weather before spreading slurry