IFA president John Bryan said he welcomed the latest report from the EPA on water quality which shows significant improvement in the level of nitrates and phosphates during the period 2007 to 2009.
“This is clear evidence that the investment of €2.5bn on farms in recent years is having an impact on water quality,” he said.
“The investment in upgrading farmyards and farm buildings has been made to comply with the highest environmental standards and to meet the onerous requirements of the nitrates regulations.”
The IFA president said the farming and food sector has the capacity to deliver growth in jobs and exports in the coming years, and can do so in an environmentally-sustainable way.
