Dairy farmers assured help is at hand in crisis

DAIRY farmers struggling in the income crisis were assured yesterday help is available from various sources.

Teagasc director Professor Gerry Boyle said it has been a difficult year – milk prices have been volatile, climbing to new heights a few years ago before declining rapidly this year. He said Teagasc has set up a service open to all farmers who need help in cashflow planning, or in their preparation to meet with their financial institution or bank, or in the management of accounts.

Teagasc advisers have also engaged with clients through the recent financial healthcheck during the single farm payment application consultations and have also met with the major banks, farm organisations and merchants.

Prof Boyle said the messages are the same. There are cashflow difficulties on all farms, but some are more serious than others.

“No one should feel that they are alone in this. Every dairy farm is feeling the pressure.”

A new grassland management manual was described as a simple way of determining whether farmers have too much or too little grass for the stock on their farm at any given time.

Dr Pat Dillon, head of Teagasc Moorepark Dairy Production Research Centre, said the objective is to simplify grazing management practice to allow more dairy farmers to capture the potential of grazed grass.

Dr Emer Kennedy, Teagasc researcher and principal author of the notebook, said ny using the notebook to create a Grass Wedge, farmers can substantially improve grazing management.

A group brought together by Teagasc to carry out a short-term review of dairy markets also met for the first time yesterday at the Teagasc open day in Fermoy.

It is chaired by Michael Keane, UCC, and includes representatives from the Irish Dairy Board, ICMSA, ICOS, IFA, Macra Na Feirme, and IBEC.