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Press Release:DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES 2013 INTERIM NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS STATEMENTS
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine today commenced notifying certain farmers of their interim Nitrogen statement covering cattle numbers held on the farm for the first 6 months of 2013. This is being done by text message with messages issuing to those farmers whose cattle numbers would indicate that they may be approaching or exceeding the limits set down in the Nitrates regulations.
Nitrogen and Phosphorus statements for the period 1 January to 30 June 2013 are also now available for all farmers online by registering on www.agfood.ie. These N&P statements are a valuable tool, especially for the more intensive farmers, and should assist them in deciding whether or not they need to change their farming practices before the end of the year to stay within the limits set down in the Nitrates Regulations.
Farmers not already registered for agfood.ie can do so by logging onto www.agfood.ie and clicking the ‘Register’ button. To register a mobile phone number for future SMS text alerts log on to https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/mobileupdates/ to access the sign-on form, or alternatively contact the regional office. If a herd owner does not have access to online or SMS text alert notification services, the interim N&P statements can be obtained from the regional offices or from the Department’s Nitrates Section, Johnstown Castle, Wexford.
The Department has confirmed that this exercise will again be repeated later in the year. The use of text messages for provision of interim statements, builds on its use last year when it was welcomed as a positive development.
Note for Editor
· Approximately 98,000 DAFM customers have supplied their mobile numbers which can be used for communication of important message by TEXT/SMS. A selection of these will relate to a particular scheme or incident at any given time (e.g. SPS, Nitrates, Pig farming etc...)
· There are approximately 136,000 active Farmers
· 96,000+ have online services access. (48,218 as individuals and 74,333 through Agents) (approximately 26,000 have both)