Farmers asking contractors to spread slurry during the closed period has been described as a ‘tricky situation’ by the Chairman of the Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI), John Hughes.

“It’s entirely up to the individual if they want to be compliant. It’s in their own interest to be compliant,” he said.

“How do you be compliant if your client wants you to spread slurry out of season? What do you do - do you tell them to wait? It’s a tricky situation.”

The comments come as most of the country has opened to spreading slurry again, from mid January.

Recent increases in stocking rate on many farms has led to inadequate slurry storage capacity around the country which is driving pressure during the closed period, Mr Hughes told the Farming Independent.

“If you don’t have the capacity to store slurry, what are you going to do with it? It has to go somewhere so the temptation is there during the closed period to try and get rid of some of it,” he said.

“I’m sure lads are flat to the mat this fine weather but then I see Teagasc saying that farmers shouldn’t be spreading slurry until the end February. That’s all very well but the practicalities are different in the farmyards.”

Teagasc has advised farmers to hold off if they can until late February and early March for optimum utilisation of nutrients and to prevent run-off.

Farmers in ‘Zone C’ (Donegal, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan) must continue to observe their closed period until the end of January.

Mr Hughes said his association has brought the issue of inadequate slurry storage up in previous meetings with the Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Public Expenditure.

“We suggested that they put more emphasis on slurry storage for farms especially through TAMS. They were in agreement with that but it’s up to the farmers on the ground to decide what they want to do,” he continued.

“Contractors wouldn’t be under as much pressure this time of year if there was more capacity. They’d be able to get around to do a couple of tanks everyday for different lads. It’s hard to go into one farmer and say ‘sorry I can only do four or five fills for you, I have to go down the road and your neighbours are in the same boat’.”

Mr Hughes raised concerns around the current good ground conditions encouraging farmers to spread slurry.

“If we’re going to get the rain on Saturday and Sunday, will a lot of this slurry stay on the ground? It won’t be utilised anyway because the grass isn't growing, it's just sitting there.”

At the IFA AGM last week, Minister of State Pippa Hackett encouraged farmers to “call out bad practice” when they see it “because I see it several times a week in the middle of winter”, she said.

“That’s where we’re falling down… a whole host of other aspects that aren’t adhering to best practices in terms of water quality and that’s what’s pulling us down. It’s not just derogation farmers.”

Reporting On:independent.ie