Ireland's State of the Environment Report 2024

265 Chapter 10: Environment and Agriculture Figure 10.11  Fertiliser sales by nutrient, 2000-2022 ˜ Nitrogen (N) ˜ Phosphorus (P) ˜ Potassium (K) 0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 350,000 400,000 450,000 2022 2020 2018 2016 2014 2012 2010 2008 2006 2004 2002 2000 Year Tonnes of Nutrient Content Source: CSO, 2023a 23 food.ec.europa.eu/plants/pesticides/sustainable-use-pesticides/farm-fork-targets-progress/member-states-trends_en#Ireland (accessed 31 May 2024). The use of synthetic fertiliser nationally has reduced substantially since 2018 (Figure 10.11). In 2022, the nitrogen content of fertilisers sold was 14% lower than in 2021 at just under 345,000 tonnes; phosphorus content fell by 26% to almost 35,000 tonnes (CSO, 2023a). DAFM reported further reductions in chemical nitrogen fertiliser use in 2023 to 281,000 tonnes. The war in Ukraine and the subsequent significant increase in fertiliser prices, plus increased awareness and uptake of the use of nitrogen-fixing clover in grass swards, have been key driving factors in this progress. At the same time, lime sales increased by 4% to 1.4 million tonnes, the highest it has been during the period 2000–2022 (CSO, 2023a), which reflects a growing awareness of the need to optimise soil pH as part of good nutrient management. Lime application rates fell as low as less than 0.6 million tonnes per annum in the 2000s and early 2010s, which was well below the rates needed. The Teagasc MACC has set a target of 2.5 million tonnes of lime applied per annum to build and maintain optimum soil pH levels. The reduction in nitrogen fertiliser use will contribute to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and the increase in the use of lime should lead to improvements in soil fertility. However, potential benefits for water quality will not be achieved unless the reductions are targeted at key catchments where water quality is affected by excess nitrate (EPA, 2021). Reducing the use of pesticides. The Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive (2009/128/EC) governs the use of pesticides and aims to reduce the risks and impacts of pesticide use on human health and the environment. Herbicides, followed by fungicides and plant growth regulators, are the most common plant protection products sold in Ireland (CSO, 2023b). The Farm to Fork Strategy (EC, 2020) set two targets in relation to pesticides: one to reduce overall pesticide use by 50% by 2030 compared with the baseline of 2015–2017, and a second to reduce hazardous pesticide use by 50% by 2030. While the 2030 reduction in overall use target was withdrawn from the strategy in 2024, it is nevertheless included in the Irish Biodiversity Action Plan 2024. Ireland is one of only three countries in the EU that has already met the overall use target, 23 and some progress has also been made in reducing the use of hazardous pesticides. Successes such as these could be better linked to environmental outcomes for biodiversity and water quality if adequate spatial data on pesticide use were collected. This would help encourage further uptake of the measures. Use of clover and multi-species swards. Teagasc research over the last two decades has demonstrated the clear environmental, agronomic, economic, productivity and animal welfare benefits of adding clover to monoculture perennial ryegrass swards and/ or replacing them with multi-species mixes (Humphreys et al ., 2007; Phelan et al ., 2015; Cummins et al ., 2021; Moloney et al ., 2021; Baker et al ., 2023). The deeper rooting species in the mixes are also beneficial in drought