National Fertiliser Database: Requirements for Organic Farmers and Other Operators

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has announced details of the National Fertiliser Database to track the movement of fertilisers across the agri-food sector. The database is also applicable to organic operators who purchase or sell manufactured organic fertiliser products permitted for use in organic production such as lime and other approved inputs. Under the new database which is defined by national legislation, enacted in July 2023, there are two categories of registration for farmers and other operators:

• Professional Fertiliser End Users – farmers purchasing fertilisers
• Fertiliser Economic Operators – manufacturers, importers and merchants selling fertilisers

Both types of users should register with the DAFM by 1st September 2023 when the requirements come into force. Farmers’ herd numbers will be assigned as their unique registration identification number for monitoring purposes, with sales in Ireland added to the database by the seller.

Each year, farmers will have to declare the closing stock of fertilisers present on their farm on 14th September via AgFood.ie (submitted by 15th October). Any fertiliser purchases from 15th September onwards will be part of the opening stock value for the following year. Information on fertilisers imported directly from outside Ireland and farm-to-farm transfers must also be declared by farmers. In this situation, farmers must register additionally as Fertiliser Economic Operators.

All manufacturers, importers and merchants will have to declare sales data for September-November by 15 December 2023 as part of a transition period. From the 1st December 2023 onwards, all monthly returns must be submitted to the database by the 15th of the subsequent month.

The database stems from the outcomes of the negotiations between DAFM and the European Commission on the EU Nitrates Directive, including Ireland’s Nitrates Derogation.

For further information CLICK HERE.