The fodder transport scheme is impracticable and can only be described as a pure shambles, according to Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) president Colm O’Donnell.

Speaking at a protest on the fodder scheme on Monday outside the Department of Agriculture offices in Drumshanbo, Co Leitrim, O’Donnell read out a letter from the association to the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed.

The letter calls on Minister Creed to reconvene the fodder action group to address what the INHFA says are the many inconsistencies and problems with the package.

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"This package was not what was proposed by the stakeholders action group and to give credibility and confidence back to the forum set up by Minister Creed he must now call those stakeholders back to adjust elements of the package to make it workable for affected farmers.”

The letter details a number of steps which the INHFA believes need to be taken in order to improve the scheme:

  • A meal voucher scheme to be included which was the unanimous recommendation by the stakeholders action group.
  • Licenced hauliers who traditionally source quality fodder to be involved in the transport subsidy scheme.
  • The 100km zone to source fodder to be changed.
  • Local agri stores to be added to the scheme where there is no co-op in the area, for example the nearest co-op to Connemara is over 50 miles away.
  • Square bales of hay and straw to be included in the scheme because farmers with environmental restrictions on their farms can only feed square bales to out-wintered livestock.
  • The Department must cover the cost of fodder assessment by approved advisers.

    • GLAS

    Meanwhile, speaking on the delayed Green Low-carbon Agri-environment Scheme (GLAS) payments to thousands of farmers, O’Donnell said: “It is totally unacceptable that farmers are now almost three months waiting for their money since the Minister announced the issuing of GLAS payments, which is a breach of the Farmers Charter of Rights."

    The INHFA president said that farmers have enough problems of their own trying to run a business without a proper rural broadband service.

    He called on the Minister to get on top of his brief, fix the IT problems once and for all and pay farmers on time.

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