Carla Lockhart challenges Andrew Muir over slurry restrictions as farmers face winter storage pressures
MP for Upper Bann Carla Lockhart during her visit to the inaugural Slurry Live event, held this week at the Eikon Exhibition Centre near Lisburn.
Friday 6 November 2026
A Northern Ireland MP has called for greater flexibility in slurry spreading regulations after Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir rejected a request to reconsider the winter ban, despite concerns that prolonged wet weather prevented farmers from emptying slurry tanks before the October deadline.
Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart says the current system fails to reflect changing weather conditions, leaving farmers unable to take advantage of suitable spreading opportunities even when ground conditions improve.
The dispute centres on Northern Ireland's statutory closed period, which began on 15 October and runs until 31 January 2027. During this time, slurry spreading is generally prohibited to reduce the risk of agricultural pollution entering waterways.
Minister rejects request to reconsider restrictions
Ms Lockhart wrote to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in early October, highlighting difficulties caused by persistent rainfall and waterlogged fields in the final weeks before the ban.
According to the MP, Minister Muir responded that Northern Ireland had not experienced weather conditions severe enough to significantly restrict agricultural productivity.
He also indicated that the Nutrients Action Programme, which governs the restrictions, contains no provision allowing the statutory dates to be changed administratively, although exceptional circumstances can be considered for individual farms.
Ms Lockhart criticised that response following discussions with farmers and agricultural contractors at the inaugural Slurry Live event, held at the Eikon Exhibition Centre near Lisburn on 4 and 5 November.
“I am disappointed, although not surprised, by the Minister's response. It demonstrates a lack of understanding of the practical challenges facing farmers and agricultural contractors, not only within my constituency, but right across Northern Ireland.”
She added:
“Everyone is frustrated by DAERA’s calendar farming regulations. We’ve had two weeks of dry weather and ideal slurry spreading conditions, but because of the rules everything is at a standstill between now and the 1st February 2027 when the ban expires.”
Wet autumn raises concerns over slurry storage
The MP argues that poor conditions before the October deadline prevented some farmers from spreading slurry when they needed to create additional storage capacity ahead of winter.
Slurry storage is particularly important during the winter housing period, when livestock are brought indoors and manure continues to accumulate.
Ms Lockhart said difficulties securing planning permission for additional storage facilities were adding to the pressures facing some agricultural businesses.
“With planning permission heavily curtailed, many farmers can’t increase slurry storage capacity, and therefore, need to empty their slurry tanks before the slurry ban and the winter housing period begins.”
She also questioned whether the existing exceptional circumstances arrangements offered a realistic solution for farmers facing recurring difficulties.
“It is not good enough to point to exceptional circumstances which require individual farmers to demonstrate that compliance was impossible and that no reasonable alternative existed. This is not a practical, or sensible solution, for a recurring annual problem.”
Why the winter spreading restrictions exist
The closed period forms part of Northern Ireland's Nutrients Action Programme, which seeks to protect rivers, lakes and other waterways from agricultural pollution.
During winter, reduced plant growth means crops and grass absorb fewer nutrients from slurry. Increased rainfall and saturated soils can also raise the risk of nutrients being washed into waterways.
DAERA guidance explains that the timing of slurry application is important both for effective nutrient use on farms and for protecting water quality, including reducing pollution that can contribute to algal blooms in Lough Neagh and other lakes.
The regulations require most livestock farms to provide at least 22 weeks of slurry or manure storage, increasing to 26 weeks for pig and poultry enterprises. These requirements are intended to allow slurry to be retained until spreading is permitted and conditions are suitable.
The department's existing guidance also recognises that exceptional circumstances beyond a farmer's control may justify limited spreading during the closed period, provided there is evidence that reasonable steps were taken and no suitable alternative was available.
Such provisions do not amount to a general relaxation of the winter ban.
MP calls for weather-based flexibility
Ms Lockhart insists that protecting water quality and allowing farmers greater flexibility should not be treated as competing objectives.
“Farmers understand the importance of protecting water quality. No responsible farmer wants to spread slurry in conditions where it could run off into waterways. They realise it is more beneficial for the land to spread slurry during periods of settled dry weather.”
She added:
“There is a fundamental difference between having sensible environmental safeguards and enforcing rigid calendar dates regardless of the actual weather and ground conditions.”
The MP wants DAERA to engage with the agricultural industry on possible changes that would take greater account of local weather and field conditions rather than relying exclusively on fixed dates.
“I am not suggesting that environmental protections should be ignored or that slurry should be spread during unfavourable conditions. Quite the opposite. We should be encouraging farmers to spread when ground conditions are right, rather than relying exclusively on fixed calendar dates.”
She concluded:
“Common sense should prevail. We need regulations that work for farmers and the environment, rather than simply enforcing unworkable dates.”
Restrictions remain in place until February
For farmers across Northern Ireland, including those in the Ballymena and wider Mid and East Antrim area, the existing restrictions remain in force despite the calls for change.
The closed period ends at midnight on 31 January, with normal slurry spreading permitted again from 1 February 2027, provided ground and weather conditions are suitable and other regulatory requirements are met.
Reduced application limits and increased buffer zones around waterways also apply during February.
With no change to the statutory dates agreed, the immediate challenge for farmers is managing slurry storage through the remainder of winter, while the wider question of whether the regulations should become more responsive to weather conditions remains unresolved.
