Mike Magan is to chair the National Fodder and Food Security Committee.

Magan is a dairy farmer from Longford and former Animal Health Ireland (AHI) chair.

The committee will meet for the first time on Friday to discuss measures, financed by a multi-million euro package, to ensure there is enough fodder in the country for the coming winter.

Strong supports are expected for farmers to plant additional cereal and fodder crops this spring, along with increased incentives for multispecies swards and red clover.

Growing grass

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue told the Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA) AGM on Thursday that farmers’ first priority must be to grow enough grass for silage this year to avoid any fodder shortages next winter.

He also said that many “new challenges are on the horizon” for Irish farmers following Russia’s “abominable” invasion of the Ukraine.

The Minister told the AGM that it’s going to be more important now than ever that advisers work with farmers to help mitigate grain and fertiliser challenges which face them.

The committee was set up on Tuesday night following a meeting between all three ministers in the Department of Agriculture and farm organisations.

Teagasc will head up the committee and the group is to report without delay on measures farmers and the sector can take to ensure there are enough fodder supplies.