The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed that interim 2025 bovine nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) statements are now available.

Farmers can access their information through the department's online system, AgFood.

The department has encouraged all farmers with cattle on their holdings to check their interim statements.

The grassland stocking rate and dairy band are available where relevant on the user screens.

DAFM said the statements provide the breakdown of the holding’s maximum organic N per hectare where parcels are subject to differing maximum limits.

The department added that similar to previous years, "a small minority of dairy farmers" who have not confirmed their herd’s dairy cow band for 2025 have been defaulted to the highest band of 106kg N/cow.

Banding for new entrants will be updated when their milk supply for 2025 has been confirmed.

DAFM

The department has also confirmed that following consultation it is amending its approach for calculating ovine (sheep) nitrates production at farm level.

The Sheep Census data for December 31 will now be the data used to determine ovine nitrates production for the holding for the coming year.

This means that the recent Sheep Census data submitted by farmers will determine those farmer’s ovine nitrates production for 2026.

"This improved approach will simplify matters for sheep farmers, allowing nitrates calculations for interim statements as well as projections on MyAgFood to include ovine as well as bovine nitrates data.

"The change will also facilitate more timely grassland stocking rate determination and easier farmer management of compliance with the Nitrates Regulations (SI 588 of 2025)," DAFM said.

In cases where a farmer’s Sheep Census return is not representative of their ovine stocking across the year, the department said the option to submit a quarterly breakdown form will still be available.