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The Department of Agriculture is being called on to adopt a more ‘common sense’ approach to slurry spreading dates as the current winter weather puts slurry spreading on hold.

From this week farmers across most of the country are allowed to spread slurry once again.

Farmers in Zone A can commence spreading from tomorrow, with farmers in Zones B and C permitted to commence after 15 January and 31 January respectively (see image below).

However, ICSA rural development chairman Seamus Sherlock said “calendar farming restrictions for slurry spreading are proving unworkable and unrealistic and most frustrating for farmers”.

Focusing on this week’s inclement weather Sherlock said many parts of the country are experiencing weather conditions which are completely incompatible to slurry spreading.

“It may be weeks before conditions improve by which time many important farming schedules will have been delayed.

“On the contrary, the milder and dryer weather over the last number of weeks would have been ideal, yet our hands were tied.

The laws which were brought in under the Nitrates Directive have been a cause of anger amongst the farming community.

The Status Orange weather warning remains in place this morning in counties Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo as Met Eireann predict a cold and frosty morning with snow and ice.

Forecasters have also issued a Status Yellow warning for snow and ice for the rest of the country. Both warnings will remain in place until 6pm.

It is set to be a bright day, but the country can expect scattered wintry showers, occurring mostly along western coastal counties, and north-west strong and gusty winds.