Slurry deadline extended

Councillor Chivers said: “I welcome the decision to allow farmers to spread slurry beyond the Nitrates Action Programme October 15 cut off. The recent wet weather and ground conditions have made it impossible for many farmers to spread the slurry stores in preparation for winter. However DOE Minister Atwood has factored in a “grey area” in that farmers have to produce a detailed record to show that they had no alternative to spreading slurry out of season. Farmers are already overburdened with red tape and excessive paperwork. I will be demanding clarification on this condition from the Minister.”

“This has been one of the wettest years on record with the result farmers have been unable to spread slurry over the fields by the 15th October deadline. It has been so wet that much of the slurry has washed away within days resulting in the need to spread the fields again. With the ground being so wet farmers are been forced to put huge amounts of slurry out which could have serious environmental implications. Although there has been a slight improvement in weather conditions recently the overall forecast is for more wet weather putting the farmers under severe pressure to complete by the deadline. Already other jurisdictions including the South of Ireland have extended the deadline so I am delighted that the deadline has been extended here in the North but the process must be fair and not strangled by red tape.”