NOTICE: Kildare farmers advised on application of organic and chemical fertilisers on farmland

placeholder image — NOTICE: Kildare farmers advised on application of organic and chemical fertilisers on farmland. FILE PHOTOGRAPH / PIXABAY

Kildare County Council regulates landspreading activities within the county

Kildare County Council (KCC) has said that it would like to remind farmers based in County Kildare of their obligations.

According to KCC, this relates to the application of organic and chemical fertilisers on farmland, in order to protect water quality and the environment.

Emphasising the need for the alert, KCC said: "Agriculture has been identified as one of the main activities to negatively impact and place significant pressure on water quality.

"The EU Nitrates Directive and the European Union (Good Agricultural Practices for the Protection of Waters) Regulations, 2025 (GAP Regulations), provide a statutory basis for ensuring good agricultural practices are in place, to protect water quality within the county."

LANDSPREADING

KCC also said that it regulates landspreading activities within the county.

In addition, KCC said: "The GAP Regulations detail the requirements regarding the collection, storage, management and landspreading of farmyard manure, organic fertiliser and soiled water produced on a farm holding and on weather conditions and the periods of the year when land spreading is prohibited.

"Sewage sludge cannot be spread in County Kildare without the prior submission of a Nutrient Management Plan (NMP), prepared by a recognised Agricultural Consultant. The timeframe for assessing all NMP’S is four weeks.

"Organic and chemical fertilisers or soiled water shall NOT be applied to land":

By use of an umbilical system with an upward-facing splash-plate
By use of a tanker with an upward-facing splash-plate
By use of a sludge irrigator mounted on a tanker
From a road or passageway adjacent to the land, irrespective of whether the road or passageway is within or outside the cartilage of the holding

KCC further said: "Organic and chemical fertilisers or soiled water shall NOT be applied to land where":

The land is waterlogged
The land is flooded or likely to flood
The land is snow covered or frozen
Heavy rain is forecast within 48 hours (Farmers are advised to monitor Met Éireann weather forecasts)
The ground slopes steeply and there is a risk of water pollution having regard to factors such as surface run-off pathways, the presence of land drains, the absence of hedgerows to mitigate surface run-off, soil condition, and ground cover

PROHIBITED PERIODS AND BUFFER ZONES

Moreover, KCC pointed out that the spreading of soiled water is prohibited between December 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026.

As for the prohibited periods for spreading fertilisers to land, KCC explained that these are:

Chemical Fertiliser - September 15, 2026 to January 29, 2027
Organic Fertiliser (other than Farmyard Manure) – October 1, 2026 to January 12, 2027
Farmyard Manure – November 1, 2026 to January 12, 2027

KCC also noted the Buffer Zones for spreading chemical and organic fertilisers:

200m - Any water supply source providing 100m^3 or more of water per day, or serving 500 or more people
100m - Any water supply source providing 10m^3 or more of water per day, or serving 50 or more people
25m - Any other water supply for human consumption
20m - Lake shoreline or a turlough likely to flood
10m - Any surface watercourse where the slope towards the watercourse exceeds 10 per cent
5m - Any other surface waters (This 5m buffer zone is increased to 10m for a period of two weeks preceding and two weeks following the periods when application of fertilisers to land is prohibited as set out in Schedule 4 of the Regulations)
3m Chemical fertilisers must not be spread within 3m of any surface waters

Furthermore, KCC outlined the applicable Buffer Zones when farmyard manure is stored in a field:

250m - Any water supply source providing 10m^3 or more of water per day, or serving 50 or more people
50m - Any other water supply for human consumption
20m - Lake shoreline or a turlough likely to flood
20m - Any other surface waters

KCC also noted that the specified storage period for livestock manure in County Kildare is 16 weeks.

Lastly, KCC said that anyone seeking further details on the application of organic and chemical fertilisers on farmland, can visit the following resources: