Teagasc clinics aid farmers with weather issues
All of the organisation’s farmer clients, plus non-clients, are invited to take part.
The Agriculture and Food Development Authority has confirmed that huge numbers of farmers are seeking advice on how to deal with poor ground conditions and poor grass utilisation, due to the ongoing bad weather.
According to Teagasc sources, every farm is different, and some are under more pressure than others. While ground conditions on drier land improve quite quickly at this time of year, further rain will put back silage making and result in more cattle being housed.
To avail of the bad weather clinic advice, farmers are invited to contact their local Teagasc office.
Few farmers have escaped the bad conditions, with most Met Éireann weather stations having reported their wettest June on record, although varying from 35% above average at Valentia to 186% above average in Co Dublin.
At Fermoy, there were eight days of 10 mm or more of rain, and Cork Airport’s 228.3 mm was its highest June rainfall since the weather station opened in 1962.
Temperatures across the country were below average, as was sunshine, with Cork Airport having only 93 hours, around half of its average, its dullest June on record.
Farmers along the Shannon, who rely heavily on dry summers for silage and grazing, have been hit by their most severe flooding, forcing some to sell livestock. Some have up to 60 acres under water, particularly between Banagher and Athlone, where thousands of acres are under water. Local people have condemned the ESB and Waterways Ireland for not opening sluice-gates early enough to relieve flooding. Minister of State at the Department of Finance Brian Hayes said he will take up the matter of compensation for affected farmers with Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney.
The weather has also wreaked particular havoc on fruit farms, with growers saying it is likely to be their worst season in 20 years, with yields down by one third.
Rural events have been called off, with waterlogging of fields and silage cutting delays forcing cancellation of the Newcastlewest Agricultural Show in Co Limerick, which had been scheduled for Sunday, Jul 15.
IFA president John Bryan said farmers need a significant weather improvement to avoid serious winter fodder problems, with only half the silage harvested by Jul 1. Livestock have been re-housed in some areas, and production levels are back, despite extra feeding.
IFA and ICSA have called on Minister Coveney to secure an advance payment of 50% of the EU Single Farm Payment in October. IFA have called for full September disadvantaged area payments.
