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 2025 (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:

• 15^th September 2026 to 14^th February 2027 in the case of chemical fertiliser.
• 1^st October 2026 to 31^st January 2027 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.
• 1^st November 2026 to 31^st January 2027 in the case of farmyard manure.
• 1^st December 2026 to 31^st December 2026 in the case of soiled water.

Please note that the closed period for organic manures (other than farmyard manure) commences on the 1^st October 2026 as per 2025 Nitrates Regulations and as amended.

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. Many houses in County Cavan are served by private wells which are supplied from groundwater. We must encourage everyone to be involved in protecting river, lake and groundwater sources so we can help to protect human health as well as the environment.

For further information on the Nitrates Regulations or any other queries you may have regarding protecting water quality, please contact the Environmental Services Section of Cavan County Council on 049 4378486 or alternatively at environ@cavancoco.ie.