Minster Creed and his Department have been criticised for their response to the crisis. / Philip Doyle
ADVERTISEMENT
There will be no meal vouchers, no early rollout of low-interest loans and no halt to farm inspections in response to the fodder crisis.
Describing it as a “short-term difficulty”, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed ruled out many of the measures proposed in a highly charged Oireachtas debate as costs escalate on farms. The continuing wet weather is costing suckler and dairy farmers over €60m per week. The weekly cost of meal, fodder and lost output is estimated at €35 and €23 per cow, respectively.
Disease pressure and vet bills are mounting, with warmer, damp weather hard on calves and lambs. No spring planting has yet taken place. Grass is growing in many areas, but land remains too wet to carry stock.
ADVERTISEMENT
Creed has made adjustments to the Fodder Transport Scheme, a number of concessions on GLAS and is seeking a derogation on the three-crop rule.
However, Fianna Fáil’s Charlie McConalogue criticised his efforts as “scrambling”.
This content is available to digital subscribers and loyalty code users only. Sign in to your account, use the code or subscribe to get unlimited access.
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
CODE ACCEPTED
You have full access to the site until next Wednesday at 9pm.
CODE NOT VALID
Please try again or contact support.
There will be no meal vouchers, no early rollout of low-interest loans and no halt to farm inspections in response to the fodder crisis.
Describing it as a “short-term difficulty”, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed ruled out many of the measures proposed in a highly charged Oireachtas debate as costs escalate on farms. The continuing wet weather is costing suckler and dairy farmers over €60m per week. The weekly cost of meal, fodder and lost output is estimated at €35 and €23 per cow, respectively.
Disease pressure and vet bills are mounting, with warmer, damp weather hard on calves and lambs. No spring planting has yet taken place. Grass is growing in many areas, but land remains too wet to carry stock.
Creed has made adjustments to the Fodder Transport Scheme, a number of concessions on GLAS and is seeking a derogation on the three-crop rule.
However, Fianna Fáil’s Charlie McConalogue criticised his efforts as “scrambling”.
If you would like to speak to a member of our team, please call us on 01-4199525.
Link sent to your email address
We have sent an email to your address. Please click on the link in this email to reset your password. If you can't find it in your inbox, please check your spam folder. If you can't find the email, please call us on 01-4199525.
ENTER YOUR LOYALTY CODE:
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
SHARING OPTIONS