Ireland’s dairy farmers are demonstrating that it is possible to improve the water quality in our rivers at the same time as retaining the EU Nitrates Directive derogation.
“A series of reports from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the European Environment Agency (EEA) confirms that Ireland’s farmers are delivering measurable improvements in water quality, greenhouse gas (GHG) and other emissions reductions and sustainable nutrient management,” says Conor Mulvihill, director of Ibec industry representative body Dairy Industry Ireland.
According to Mulvihill, the EPA’s latest data shows that nutrient levels in Irish rivers are at an eight-year low, with a 10 per cent national reduction in nitrate concentrations in 2024 alone. “Ireland already has some of Europe’s cleanest waterways and lowest nitrate levels, and the Farming for Water initiative – driven by farm families and supported by a €60 million European Innovative Partnerships (EIP fund) – has seen over 4,000 farmer applications in its first year,” he adds.
Other achievements by Irish dairy farmers include reductions of 24 per cent in nitrogen, 38 per cent in phosphorus, and 27 per cent in potash purchases since 2018, he notes. “There was also a 4.6 per cent drop in agricultural GHG emissions in 2023, at a time when transport emissions are increasing. In addition, 6,300 km of watercourses are protected under the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) – that’s the equivalent of a river from Dublin to Denver in the US Midwest.”
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According to Mulvihill, these statistics are proof that Ireland’s grass-based family farming model can coexist with and even enhance environmental protection. “The EPA’s own indicators show that 83 per cent of rivers have high, good, or moderate biological quality, with the EU’s own European Environment Agency (EEA) stating that 98.5 per cent of Irish groundwater testing sites for nitrates are compliant with EU standards, one of the best in Europe.”
Despite this, the future of Ireland’s nitrates derogation remains under threat. “The derogation has been in place for over 30 years and is a cornerstone of sustainable grass-based farming, and our rural economy,” he says. “It imposes additional environmental conditionality on farmers who avail of it, further safeguarding water quality. In fact, both Teagasc and the Department of Agriculture have indicated a loss of the derogation will likely worsen water quality as it will actually loosen regulations.”
The economic impact of a loss would be severe, according to an impact assessment carried out by EY. It reveals that removing the derogation from 2026 would result in a €45 billion cumulative loss in economic output from 2026 to 2035, a €555 million direct annual fall in milk cheques, a 12 per cent reduction in the number of dairy farming families, and a 15 per cent drop in dairy exports.
“This would devastate rural Ireland, hollowing out communities, destroying jobs, and pushing up food prices for ordinary consumers,” says Mulvihill. “It would also undermine Ireland’s position as a global leader in sustainable food production at a time when the UN projects a 29 per cent increase in global dairy demand by 2050.”
He also points out that Article 2b of the Paris Climate Agreement states that climate actions should be implemented in a “manner that does not harm food production”.
“Irish farmers and the dairy industry have done everything asked of them, meeting every environmental challenge, investing over €2 billion in processing infrastructure and in farm climate initiatives,” he adds. “They have embraced catchment-based water quality strategies, real-time nitrate monitoring, and sustainability-linked payments – a world-first for a national industry. Yet despite this, farmers now face new rules that threaten their future. Ireland is already starting from an exceptional environmental base, with some of the lowest nitrate levels in EU waters, so why jeopardise a model that is working?”
Dairy Industry Ireland is calling on EU and national leaders to retain Ireland’s nitrates derogation. “This is backed by science and vital to avoiding catastrophic economic loss for Irish society,” Mulvihill contends. “The loss of the derogation will not only be a disaster socially and economically. There is not a shred of scientific evidence it will do one iota for water quality or the environment. Irish dairy is a cornerstone of our economy and our global reputation. It has one of the lowest environmental footprints on the planet for the production of some of the most nutritious food. We must balance environmental ambition with economic reality, ensuring that our farmers are supported, our rural communities are protected, water quality enhanced and our industry continues to thrive and deliver for Ireland Inc and future generations.”
