‘It is putting farmers in a dangerous position’ – Farmers say LESS equipment being used on hilly ground is unsafe
Members of the North Tipperary branch of the IFA, Joe O' Dwyer, Baden Powell and JP Ryan
The use of low emission slurry spreading (LESS) equipment on hilly ground is unsafe, the Dáil heard last week.
Independent TB Micheal Lowry said he had been contacted by numerous members of the IFA North Tipperary branch, who conveyed serious reservations about the dangers involved in the use of low-emissions slurry spreading equipment.
Members of the North Tipperary branch believe an upcoming ban on the use of splash plates will impact a lot of drystock farmers.
“I believe it is unsafe and irresponsible to travel across the hills with these tankers. When you have this equipment on the back of the tanks, you are creating a torque effect on the back of the tank, so you have less weight on the back of your tractor,” said Joe O’Dwyer of the North Tipperary IFA.
“Especially when the tanks are getting empty and you have less grip to work with on a tractor, and grip is life in the hills. I believe it is putting farmers in a dangerous position.”
Others say it’s just too much for farmers that are stocked at this level.
“It’s mainly dry stock farmers that are being affected and I can’t see a future in us spending that much money when other investments have to be made on the farms… I cannot see it being a viable alternative.
“It’s an unrealistic ask of farmers at the moment,” said fellow branch member JP Ryan.
From January 1, 2025, all farmers stocked between 100kg organic N/ha and 129kg N/ha will be banned from using splash plates on their farm under good agricultural practice regulations. It will be mandatory for farmers stocked at this level to use LESS equipment to spread slurry.
The farmers also say if the LESS equipment becomes mandatory for farmers on the slopes to use, even though it is unsuitable for the high ground, it could also pose a risk to the environment.
“The LESS equipment wouldn’t allow [farmers] to spread the slurry on the higher ground and then that means that the slurry would be going out in a more concentrated area and they might have a very minimal area, maybe one or two fields, and they would be forced to make a contractor spread on those. It wouldn’t be environmentally friendly,” said Baden Powell, IFA North Tipperary Chair.
