Foster to make life easier for farmers

The Department of the Environment today announced its intention to revise its application process for agricultural waste exemptions.

The announcement was made to exempt four further agricultural activities from the full rigours of waste management controls and in recognition of the farming industry’s concerns about bureaucracy and red tape.

The proposed legislation, when introduced, will allow for:

• the disposal of pesticide washing into a lined biobed and recovery of the biobed materials;
• land treatment of ash from on–farm incineration of pig and poultry carcases;
• land treatment of dredging spoil from ditches; and
• land treatment of spent mushroom compost.

Environment Minister, Arlene Foster said: “Without the provision for these exemptions, farmers wishing to carry out these activities would have to apply for full waste management licences and could incur potential costs of up to £9,000 in the first year and £6,500 in ensuing years. I am keen to avoid unnecessary burdens on the farming industry, particularly for what are viewed as low-risk activities and that is why I have decided to ease the legislative requirements for these activities.”

The DOE is currently in discussion with DARD to agree an arrangement for the inclusion of the necessary information for all exempt agricultural waste activities in the existing IACS form that farmers complete annually, which will remove the need for separate waste exemption forms.

Agriculture Minister, Michelle Gildernew, welcomed the approach and said: “I hope we can make compliance with the waste regulations more efficient and more straightforward for farmers. We in DARD will do all we can to facilitate this.”

The DOE will discuss with the farming industry the content of the revised form. A new waste exemption form will also be produced for farmers who do not fill in an IACS form.

Further information on the management of agricultural waste or on how to apply for exemptions can be obtained from:-