The practice of farmers fertilising their fields by spraying animal slurry in the air are numbered after new regulations came into force today.
The regulations are part of the implementation of the controversial EU nitrates directive, which led to farmers withdrawing from social partnership.
The directive, which puts an annual limit on the spread of fertiliser, is intended to protect ground water and rivers from pollution caused by fertilisers running off into waterways and seeping into the water table.
It also limits the amount of animal waste that can be used in fertiliser.
Some of the regulations come into force on January 1st 2007, and farmers in the pig, poultry and mushroom growing sector have received an exemption for use of phosphates in fertiliser until 2011.
One of the key changes taking effect from today is a ban on the use of upward spreaders of fertilisers, which also includes spreaders that shoot over hedges.
The use of down-spreaders remains legal but the practice, which is responsible for particularly strong smells during spraying, will also be banned at certain times of the year and in certain conditions such as frosty or snowy conditions or when heavy rain is forecast.
Other regulations coming into effect today include new farmyard management requirements that include the storing of water soiled by animal waste and other pollutants.
The European Commission is still pursuing legal action against Ireland over its detection and enforcement regime and the low level of fines for breaking the directive.
The Department of Agriculture is in talks with the commission, and a further meeting is due in the autumn.
The Department is also arranging a series of information meetings for farmers to appraise them of the new and upcoming regulations.
Fine Gael Agriculture spokesman Denis Naughten accused the Government of bungling the Nitrates Directive leading to "widespread confusion among farmers"
"The Government has failed to launch a public information campaign on the regulations and their incompetent handling of the issue has created a situation whereby farmers are unclear as to the implications for them and what measures they need to take to comply."
Mr Naughten said it was "outrageous" considering farmers could be jailed up to six months for failing to comply with the regulations.