Prohibited Period for Landspreading of Fertilisers in County Cavan

Slurry, Farmyard Manure and Chemical Fertiliser are prohibited from being spread over the winter in Ireland to comply with the European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Waters) Regulations 2022 (Nitrates Regulations). The regulations also prohibit such application at any time of the year when the ground is frozen, waterlogged, or heavy rain is forecast within in 48 hours.

The losses of nutrients to waterbodies on a given day during the winter period, is 4 times higher than in summer, even when both days have similar rainfall.

From October onwards plant growth and nutrient uptake from the soil begins to decline, leading to very low nutrient demand by the crop/grass and very low recovery of soil nutrients over the winter period.

In County Cavan, the period during which the application of fertilisers to land is prohibited is:

15th September 2025 to 14th February 2026 in the case of chemical fertiliser.

1st October 2025 to 31st January 2026 in the case of organic fertiliser (other than farmyard manure). Examples of organic fertiliser include slurry, mushroom spent compost, silage effluent and non-farm organic substances such as industrial by-products and sludges.

1st November 2025 to 31st January 2026 in the case of farmyard manure.

1st December 2025 to 31st December 2025 in the case of soiled water.

Minimum (buffer) distances from lakes, watercourses and wells must be maintained prior to the prohibited period. The buffer distance from surface waters for spreading organic fertilisers, is 10 metres for the two weeks preceding and two weeks following the closed period.

All of the drinking water supplies in County Cavan are from rivers, lakes or groundwater sources. We must encourage everyone to be involved in protecting water quality, human health and the environment.