Hundreds of farmers are expected to gather in Carrigaline later to take part in a nitrates derogation demonstration
The protest is to highlight the situation where many Cork farmers must reduce their stock numbers by January 1st in order to meet regulations for the coming year
Farmers say they were only notified of the change last month and now say their cows are heavily in calf and they only option available to them is cull their stock
Conor O'Leary of the IFA in Cork told RedFM News that all farmers want is some flexibility as they have been placed in a logistical impossible situation:
"Our ask was very reasonable, and it was expected that we would have been given the time or the leeway to get these animals through the system, without having to slaughter them. Now, it was a real shock to us that the Commissioner rejected that, and it leaves us in a really concerning position that we feel that our top government ministers have no say in Europe".
