Teagasc, the farm advisory body, has warned farmers that fertiliser application on land may soon be licensed because of damage done to water quality by excessive phosphate use.
It is embarking on a "massive advisory campaign" aimed at preventing water pollution and curbing excessive spread of phosphate. Irish farmers are wasting £25 million a year on applications surplus to needs. Teagasc has found that 30,000 tonnes of excess phosphate are applied annually.
The initiative follows reports highlighting how increased phosphate use is contributing to deteriorating water quality. "On some farms, excess phosphate is so high that farmers do not need to apply any phosphate for four to five years," Teagasc director, Dr Liam Downey, said.
Unless the problem is tackled urgently, "within a short period farmers may well require a licence to apply phosphate", Dr Downey warned. Failure to control its use would result in further damage to water with consequence adverse effects on the environment, tourism and "our image as a producer of clean, quality food".
The £5 million Teagasc campaign will involve farm visits, local demonstrations and regional meetings. Farmers will also be encouraged to test soils and establish precise phosphate needs. They will be encouraged to implement nutrient management plans. As an incentive to farmers, soil testing fees during next month and November are being reduced.
The IFA said farmers would continue to play their part in applying best environmental practice. Its president, Mr John Donnelly, said they had always followed Teagasc's recommendations. These were revised downwards recently, resulting in a substantially increased estimate of phosphate applications. Deterioration of water quality was a function of exceptional development, within which agriculture was only one part, he said.
"Farmers take responsibility for that part. However, agriculture is by no means the entire problem as frequently portrayed," he said.
The initiative was welcomed by the Trout Anglers' Federation of Ireland. Its pollution officer, Mr Tony Waldron, said. "We have been campaigning for this type of approach for four or five years. We are pleased, but we don't think it goes far enough."
