Sir, - Sullivan published in the Irish Times of May 18th. While it may be a little late in the season for the first sighting of the cuckoo, it is reassuring to hear again from Mr O'Sullivan and his views on Irish farmers and the environment (May 18th).
First, Mr O'Sullivan makes a number of general allegations that must be responded to in the interests of accuracy. The European Parliament has made no declaration in relation to causes of the enrichment of Irish surface waters. All farmyard washings do not, as Mr O Sullivan alleges, "find their way into drains, gullies and streamlets". The standard required and implemented on Irish farms is that these materials are collected in holding tanks and landspread under suitable weather conditions.
Animal manures and slurries which accumulate over the winter housing period and subsequently landspread total 40 million tonnes; Mr O'Sullivan refers to 84 million gallons a day which is an over-estimation of about 60 per cent, and ignores the fact that most of this manure is deposited on pasture by grazing animals and poses no environmental risks whatsoever;
Mr O'Sullivan should consult the Code of Good Agricultural Practice (1996) for enlightenment on policy in relation to the disposal of animal manures and slurries. This code requires that manures be landspread as early as practicable in the crop-growing season under suitable weather and soil conditions.
Landspeading of animal manures and slurries recycles the nutrients they contain to support crop growth. It is established agricultural practise for hundreds of years and, where it is done under correct soil and climatic conditions, poses little threat to the environment. Farmers certainly face serious challenges in storing and managing manures and slurries to ensure they pose no environmental threat.
Finally, IFA's response on the recent publication of the EPA's Millennium Environment Report was straightforward and clear. Why is it when stock numbers are static or falling and with 50,000 farmers in the Rural Environmental Protection Scheme REPS (and likely to grow to 70,000), that increases in water pollution continue to be attributed to agricultural sources? Let us not forget the unprecedented growth in our economy and its environmental impacts, nor the towns and villages of rural Ireland which continue to discharge their effluent directly into our rivers and streams. - Yours, etc.,
Francis Fanning, Chairman, IFA Environmental Committee, Bluebell, Dublin 12.