Strict new measures are proposed for soiled water - including a closed window and separation rules - under the draft of Ireland's next Nitrates Action Plan (NAP).

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) published “Ireland’s Draft Nitrates Action Programme – Second Stage Consultation” today (Monday, August 9) which includes both proposed Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) and non-GAP measures as set out by DAFM.

Slurry storage and management is a key element in the department’s proposals – with DAFM stating that there is a “slurry storage deficit on approximately 40% of dairy farms”.

Meanwhile, soiled water is noted as a key contributor to slurry storage capacity problems.

According to the DAFM document, the following measures to solve this are proposed:

Chemical fertiliser has also gone under the microscope - with a proposal put forward to extend the period when the application of chemical fertilisers to land is prohibited.

Under the proposal, counties in Zone A - those in the south and south east - will be prohibited from spreading chemical fertiliser in the period between September 15 and January 31.

Those in Zone B - east, upper midlands and west counties - will be prohibited from September 15 to February 3.

Finally, Zone C - counties Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim and Monaghan - will be prohibited from September 15 to February 19.

For more details on the strict new proposals check out Agriland's article on slurry storage proposed measures here.