Leaders urge well-stocked farmers to assist struggling neighbours

Farm groups are escalating their calls for a concerted national response to the fodder crisis facing farmers.

The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association has called on the Government to apply to the EU solidarity fund to provide financial assistance to farmers. The ICSA believes the situation requires a task force, with cattle going hungry due to absence of feed.

Irish Farmers’ Association deputy president Eddie Downey is appealing to farmers with surplus fodder, including straw, to make it available to neighbours who need feed to get them through the next number of days until grass arrives.

“The week ahead will see a welcome rise in temperatures, which will bring some much-needed grass growth,” said Mr Downey. “However, the impact of the prolonged winter weather, and the scarcity of fodder as a result of the dreadful summer harvest last year, is putting many farmers under pressure.

“Now grass growth has commenced, those farmers who have surplus fodder can be more confident that they themselves will not run short and help out neighbours in difficulty.”

Mr Downey said tillage farmers with straw should make it available to supplement concentrate feed. He called on merchants, co-ops, and banks to support their customers by applying the maximum flexibility to requests for extra credit.

“In general, commodity prices are strong, with good prospects for the year ahead. There is no excuse not to help out where cashflow problems exist. A speedy turnaround by banks, of hours not days, is required on credit applications. No farmer can be left short of cashflow to feed their stock.”

The IFA is in contact with Teagasc and has asked them to continue the good work in backing up farmers.

“With everyone’s shoulder to the wheel, farm families will get through this difficult period,” said Mr Downey.

The Department of Agriculture has allowed a deferral of one month to the date for closing off of traditional hay meadows under the agri-environment options scheme, deferred from Apr 15 to May 15 in response to the “exceptional circumstances”.

ICSA suckler chairman Dermot Kelleher said many farmers were at breaking point due to scarce fodder, grass, and cash.

“I am calling for a national emergency task force to be set up by the minister which would involve farm representatives, co-ops and agri-merchants, banking representatives and Teagasc,” said Mr Kelleher.

The ICSA is also advising farmers who are in fodder difficulty to consider early weaning of calves.

“Calves born in the autumn can certainly be weaned. Even calves born around Christmas time can be weaned. The farmer can then prioritise these weaned calves for grass and for concentrate feeding rather than feeding concentrates to the cows in an effort to keep them in milk.”

The ICSA also suggests that, where possible, young calves should be sold off cows. This advice is primarily for farmers under pressure with feeding animals and where costs are getting unsustainably high.

“It’s better to get €400 or more for the calf and cut your losses if the cost of buying in more and more fodder and meals is putting too much financial pressure on you,” said Mr Kelleher.