The Northern Ireland Grain Trade Association (NIGTA) has confirmed its commitment to work towards the securing of better water quality standards.
The organisation’s acting chief executive, David Garrett, said:
“It will have come as a disappointment to everyone that Lough Neagh has again developed an algal bloom in recent weeks.
“Given its importance as a source of drinking water for so much of Northern Ireland, it is more important than ever to address this issue.”
To this end, agriculture minister, Andrew Muir has published a 37-point plan to address the issues around water quality in the Lough Neagh catchment area.
“Where these measures relate to agriculture, they will need to be actively supported by NIGTA members and their customers,” he said.
According to Garrett, the plan is science-led and offers a way forward to begin to reverse the high levels of phosphorous (P) ending up in our waterways and lakes.
Key elements of this plan include education, incentivisation, regulation, enforcement and governance.
NIGTA
NIGTA members also believe that Northern Ireland’s Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS) will play a key role in delivering enhanced levels of water quality.
“This scheme aims to optimise nutrient application by establishing the nutrient profile of every field so that tailored fertiliser applications can be made and excess applications of key nutrients, especially phosphorous, can be avoided.
“It will be important that the findings from each farm and field are acted upon and fertiliser applications tailored accordingly,” Garrett continued.
There will be a consultation exercise on restricting the use of chemical fertilisers containing phosphorus on grassland, guided by science and evidence including the SNHS.
“What this could mean, is that if phosphorous fertiliser use is not reduced to more acceptable levels, then it could be controlled by legislation,” he added.
Meanwhile, a dairy demonstrator project will undertake to evaluate on-farm livestock diets which reduce ammonia emissions, P losses and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Led by the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), this initiative has been specifically developed to meet the needs of Northern Ireland’s milk sector.
Its stated aim will be to reduce P and nitrogen (N) inputs to more sustainable levels without adversely impacting animal performance.
Over-supply of P and N (protein) in diets is not only wasteful and economically damaging, but also harmful to the environment.
“NIGTA will have an important role in supplying much of the relevant expertise in formulating and supplying nutritionally precise diets to trial farms,” Garrett said.
In dairy cow diets, P target levels have been reduced safely over the past twenty years and due to the mineral composition of typical feed ingredients, rarely does a dairy diet need phosphorous supplementation.
“Late stage monogastric diets now seldom have any requirement for elemental phosphorous as phytase enzymes have become ever more efficient in extracting the locked up phosphorous in the feed ingredients.
“Over the years, this type of progress has mitigated the impact of food production here in Northern Ireland on the local environment.
“It is vital that we to act together on the challenge to improve our water quality whilst maintaining our important food industry,” he outlined.
