The two extreme weather events of this year have raised questions over Irish ambitions for increasing food production under FoodWise 2025, with high livestock numbers being blamed for exacerbating fodder shortages.

Twenty years ago, Ireland had higher livestock numbers with over 7.5m cattle in the country in 1997 compared to just over 7.3m in 2017.

But farmers will be aware that farm systems have transformed dramatically since 1997, with an increased focus on productivity which aims to finish cattle or sheep younger and produce higher milk yields.

However, as the livestock sector has intensified, tillage land in Ireland has remained static over the last 20 years, while animal feed imports have increased by 45% according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Irish agriculture has opted for a route where animal feed imports have reached an all-time high and to date this year, figures from the Department of Agriculture show that feed imports are already 28% ahead of 2017, with feed mills reporting working at maximum capacity since the beginning of the year.

Our reliance on imports is not necessarily a bad thing, but it will inevitably leave us vulnerable to global price fluctuations in times of crisis or increased global demand, when other countries are also experiencing extreme weather events.

In 1997 we paid just over €270m to import 1.6m tonnes of feed for 7.5m cattle, last year we spent over €680m to import 2.9m tonnes feed for 7.3m cattle*.

Tillage production has not been targeted for advancement in tandem with the growth of certain sectors such as dairy, and the impact of that is being felt acutely this year.

Even if the Department’s target of 23,000ha of available tillage land was planted under the recently announced Fodder Incentive Scheme, with fodder crops at 4tDM/ha with two cuts over winter, it would still fill only 5% of the estimated 9m tonne fodder shortfall.

While the industry as a whole remains positive that we can increase our production and export levels, this year has pulled into focus our ability to handle a more intense livestock system than two decades ago, especially when we are reportedly in store for more variable weather conditions.

*Note: figures on feed imports between the Department of Agriculture and CSO differ. Department figures do not go back as far as 1997, so CSO figures are being used for the purposes of this article.