Moscha system not currently an acceptable form of LESS - minister
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has said the Moscha Swivel Spout is not currently an accepted form of Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS).
The minister was responding to recent parliamentary question posed by Independent Galway TD Seán Canney.
Deputy Canney asked when the Moscha swivel spout will be approved for grants under the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes (TAMS 3).
He said the system is "an improved alternative to traditional splash plates as it has lower emissions".
"Currently, small or medium-sized farmers cannot afford to buy large tankers which necessitate large tractors, which are unsuitable for hilly or wet ground," Deputy Canney added.
Moscha
Moscha Swivel Spout slurry spreaders were designed by a German farmer who was seeking a better slurry-spreading technique.
The nozzle slows down the speed at which slurry leaves the tanker, thereby creating larger slurry droplets.
In response to the question, Minister Heydon said as the Moscha system is not an accepted form of LESS, it does not qualify for grant aid under TAMS 3.
"To date, no data has been made available by the supplier of the equipment that would make it possible to determine how much the system reduces the level of emissions during spreading compared to the traditional splash plate.
"The accepted forms of LESS under the Nitrates Regulations are the dribble bar/trailing hose, trailing shoe and injection systems, of which only the trailing shoe and injection systems are eligible for grant aid, at a rate of 60%, under TAMS 3," he said.
Minister Heydon added that an exemption from the requirement to use LESS equipment has been introduced for the application of cattle slurry to steeply sloping grassland on health and safety grounds.
"Under those regulations, steeply sloping grassland is defined as grassland with an average incline of at least 20%," he said.
