Nitrates Directive ‘effectively excluding’ dairy farmers from new CAP schemes

Despite the Department of Agriculture targeting an increase in the number of dairy farmers in environmental schemes, it would not make financial sense for many to avail of the most popular measures as they need to retain land in full production to maintain stock numbers.

Ciaran Moran

Dairy farmers are ‘effectively excluded’ from many of the schemes as a result of changes to the Nitrates Directive, according to ICMSA president Pat McCormack.