Longford Farming: German MEP Singer voices support for Ireland's derogation call

A German MEP has pledged to support the Irish farmers' campaign to retain the nitrates derogation after visiting two intensive Longford dairy farms.

Bavarian based MEP Christine Singer accepted the invitation from the Independent Ireland Midlands North West MEP Ciaran Mullooly to see for herself the potential damage the loss of derogation could cause to Irish grass-based enterprises.
Following Ms Singer fact-finding visit to two progressive Longford farms she voiced support for Mr Mullooly’s plans to directly engage with all EU council of ministers and EU MEPS in the next 12 months on the matter.

As the Nitrates Derogation is about to be reviewed by the EU Mr Mullooly says he is “committed to briefing fellow Members” of the EU Agricultural Committee on the importance of the derogation for Irish grass based Farmers.
Ms Singer, who is also a dairy farmer, was the first MEP on the committee to accept Mullooly's invitation to visit Ireland and voiced her support for the Irish case to maintain the Nitrates Degradation for Ireland.

Ms Singer and Mr Mullooly visited the farm of Ann and John Sheridan and their family at Firmount, Edgeworthstown.
After walking the paddocks and meeting regional IFA staff the visiting MEP saw the work already started on a new slurry storage facility. She said she was impressed with the new technology used on Irish farms to reduce the environmental impact.
The visit to the farm of Joe and Barbara McGreal, and their son Cathal, at Corbeagh House in Ballinalee, gave Mr Mullooly MEP an indication of the level of investment on the farms and the commitment to adopting new farming practices to enhance the environment.

“With the increase in clover in Irish grass and the use of protected Urea and new direct slurry injection into the soil,” Mr Mullooly said “our farmers are doing more than their fair share of the work to cope with the challenge ahead.”
Ms Singer and Mr Mullooly complimented the farmers they visited and committed to work together to win over the new EU commissioners for Environment and Agriculture to support the campaign for the retention of the Derogation in the next 12 month period .

“We know the European parliament will not decide this matter so we must all work together to ensure that the new commissioners are made abundantly aware of the importance of the derogation to our farmers,” Mr Mullooly said, “visits like this week are hugely important in getting the message to our colleagues in the other member states.”
Under the EU Nitrates Directive, farmers with a derogation can farm at stocking rates up to 220kg of organic nitrogen (N) per hectare. The limit without a derogation is 170kgN/ha.

Starting this year, the upper limit of the derogation was reduced from 250kgN/ha, prompting concerns that Ireland would not be able to secure the derogation at all when the current one expires at the start of 2026.

Ireland's hand in holding on to the derogation was strengthened in May when a coalition of parties in the Netherlands that formed the country’s government indicated they will aim to reverse the phasing out of the Nitrates Derogation.
The intensive farming practices of The Netherlands and Denmark makes the nitrates issues very pressing for them.