The extended deadline for:
Dairy cow excretion rate band confirmation is March 31; and
Nitrates Derogation applications is 12pm on April 14.
The N banding portal on the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) website, is open to all dairy farmers. Provided the farmer has given permission for their co-op to share their milk purchaser data with ICBF, they can identify and confirm their associated dairy band for 2023 quickly and easily, according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
So far, almost 12,000 farmers have availed of the ICBF portal to confirm their band. Almost three quarters of these farmers are in the middle band, resulting in a marginal increase in their cow’s nutrient excretion rate compared to last year.
For the small cohort of farmers who have not consented to their data being shared with ICBF, they are reminded to complete and submit the paper form along with copies of their milk statements, which must be sent to the DAFM to calculate and confirm their dairy cow excretion rate band. This form is available to download from the DAFM’s website (Rural Environment & Sustainability – Nitrates).
Farmers who applied for a nitrates derogation in 2022 are also reminded that they must submit 2022 fertiliser accounts by the revised closing date of April 14.