Walsh urges EC to help ease farm crisis after bad weather

AGRICULTURE Minister Joe Walsh has asked the European Commission to help ease the farm crisis caused by the bad weather.

Mr Walsh has asked Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler to allow farmers use land taken out of use under the so-called set-aside scheme to help provide either extra grazing or winter fodder.

The move was last night welcomed by farm unions, with the IFA saying it could release up to 40,000 extra acres of land for grass production.