While progress has been made around the availability of fodder, farm organisations are disappointed with the fact that there has been no commitment to suspend inspections. Speaking after the meeting with Minister Creed this morning, ICMSA president Pat McCormack said that the department should have retrospectively included farmers who had sourced fodder between the 50km and 100km limits recently amended.
“We focussed initially on the need for the Minister to retrospectively amend the fodder scheme to make it more inclusive. There’s the question of securing the necessary shipping space for the fodder lorries as well as the obvious need for inspections to be suspended till some degree of farm normality is restored,” McCormack said.
“They’re really part of a ‘wall of problems’ that is demoralising farmers right across the country and turning what is already a challenging period into a really difficult trial.”
Other consequences
Not only are farm organisations considering the current fodder predicament, but also the consequences going forward. The Minister has been called on to move the 15 June slurry spreading date for derogation farmers and facilitate a link between sectors to ensure that enough fodder will be made for next winter.
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) said that Minister Creed and Teagasc have failed to understand the predicament farmers are in due to the fodder crisis.
“ICSA has impressed upon Minister Creed that working capital of up to €10,000 for as many farmers as possible demands urgent consideration if farmers are to have any chance of coming out of this crisis in one piece,” Patrick Kent, president of the ICSA stated.
Kent said he had hoped that Minister Creed would do more to implement a loan scheme and look at the option of utilising credit unions to provide loans.
The mental strain farmers are under at the moment is intense
“These are farmers who don’t receive a monthly cheque and with credit limits already overshot buying in meal, many are unable to secure credit for fertiliser supplies.”
Kent also voiced concerns for farmers mental wellbeing: “The mental strain farmers are under at the moment is intense and sourcing enough fodder has put a lot of farmers under pressure, a lack of straw is breaking the camel’s back.”
€60m/week cost to fodder crisis
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