'Our only route is to the factory': Farmers herd cows through Carrigaline to protest Nitrates Directive

ENTERPRISE and Trade Minister Simon Coveney has said that the EU Commission is unlikely to show any further flexibility to farmers who have appealed for more time to avoid a cull of up to 40,000 cattle before the end of the year.

The former agriculture minister was speaking today after a group of 130 or so Cork farmers herded two cows through the streets of Carrigaline to his office and that of Michael McGrath, before bringing them to the office of Tánaiste Micheál Martin on Evergreen St, in Cork city.

The protest was held to highlight the mid- term review of Ireland’s derogation on the Nitrates Directive — which farmers claim could lead to the culling of up to 40,000 pregnant cows before the end of December.

The chairman of the County Cork Central Executive of the IFA, Conor O’Leary, told The Echo that farmers in the county had received a notice, on November 14, that they would have to reduce their herd size before the end of December.

“Farmers would have put their cows in calf last April, May, and June, and they’d all calve now in January, February, and March,” he said.

“At the moment, a typical farmer with 80 cows ready to calve in the springtime would have to make a decision now, if he has to comply with the 220 limit, to get [15-20] cows off his farm by January 1.

“At the moment, there’s no trade for the sale of those cows because no farmer can buy them in. Traditionally, there wouldn’t be a big sale at this time.”

He said other options the commission suggested — including renting other land — were not possible.

“Our ask was to allow us to calve these cows down and then put them for sale, rather than getting them off the farm, because our only route now is to the factory.”

The reason the reduction is being sought is to improve water quality in Ireland, as nitrates from cows can contribute to pollution.

However, farmers claim that water quality in Ireland has improved significantly since 2014 and said improved farm practices have contributed to this.

Mr Coveney told The Echo that he understood the concerns of the farmers, but said: “I don’t think that there’s going to be any more flexibility given from the commission.

“The new system comes in on January 1 —that’s what farmers are frustrated about, the turnaround time is short.

“The new limits that apply are averaged over the full 12 months of next year,” he said, adding that he and the Government would be willing to sit down with farmers to look at how to work within the existing flexibilities.