The CEO of ICOS (Irish Co-operative Organisation Society), which represents the dairy processing co-operatives and co-operative livestock marts in Ireland has called on the Department of Agriculture to immediately put in place measures to address the ongoing fodder crisis.

ICOS CEO, T.J. Flanagan said that farmers, particularly dairy farmers, are in the midst of an unprecedented drought, with an escalating gap between fodder stored and predicted winter demand.

“Unless measures are implemented without delay to support the sourcing of supplementary fodder, the gap won't be bridged, and we will be facing an even more difficult situation than experienced in the spring,” Flanagan said.

“The Minister must, immediately, take action before the situation deteriorates further. It is vitally important that catch crops are sown immediately, and that European fodder is secured while it is still available.”

Assistance

“To date, co-ops have been bearing the brunt of efforts to help farmers, between sourcing concentrates and specially formulated rations, providing extended credit and rebates on purchases, running workshops, and acting as intermediaries to source fodder locally.

It's now high time that the other stakeholders, including the banks and the Department, stepped up, to help alleviate the situation.

“No individual measure will bridge the gap on fodder requirements, but the Minister should immediately announce a series of measures including incentives for the growth of catch crops, flexibility for farmers bound by GLAS and nitrates restrictions, and a comprehensive support for the importation of supplementary fodder from the continent.

“It is also important that banks and the Department develop low-cost loan products to alleviate the pressure mounting on farmers and their co-ops. Farmers will be facing significant tax bills in the autumn, and current cashflow is simply inadequate to carry the total burden.”

ICOS

ICOS (the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society) represents over 130 co-operatives in Ireland (including the Irish dairy processing co-operatives and livestock marts ) whose associated businesses have a combined turnover in the region of €14bn, with some 150,000 individual members, employing 12,000 people in Ireland, and a further 24,000 people overseas.