A nitrate update from Ireland and implications for the UK

After Chris’ milk market report and a comment on this week's announcement on AHDB's new CEO, Will and Ben are joined by Steve Arthur, Chair of the Irish Farmers Association Dairy Committee and a dairy farmer in County Wicklow and Emma McAvoy a Consultant with Kite, to discuss dairy farming in Ireland and the situation regarding nitrate level restrictions. Steve gives an overview of the milk year in Ireland and how it’s been for farmers there including fixed milk price schemes and lessons learned in the last 12 months. Steve outlines the nitrate restrictions and excretion bands and the impact these have had on farmers, especially the small and medium producers as well as the pressure being felt to reduce cow numbers. Emma outlines what changes farmers will need to be making to meet these reduction targets, as well as what people are doing in areas of the UK and the likelihood of the restrictions being implemented elsewhere.