Farmers need fodder: Government called on to take action during drought
The National Fodder and Food Security Committee is set to convene on August 21.
With ongoing drought conditions, agricultural stakeholders have called for action to help farmers during the current fodder crisis.
Agriculture minister Martin Heydon announced this week he had requested the chair of the National Fodder and Food Security Committee, Mike Magan, “to convene a meeting of the committee soon”, following a meeting with Teagasc and farming organisations regarding the prolonged dry weather.
Mr Heydon acknowledged this was a stressful time for farmers, particularly in the east and south of the country, the regions most impacted by the current prolonged dry spell. He asked all farmers to take appropriate action to ensure sufficient fodder stocks were in place for winter.
“The call from farm organisations for additional support will be considered when the full picture is available and in the context of Budget 2027. Many farm organisations also called for flexibilities on a range of measures, which will be kept under review.”
IFA president Francie Gorman said immediate action was needed to address worsening issues affecting farmers due to ongoing drought conditions.
“Minister Heydon has failed to grasp the severity of the issues farms are facing. He must act now,” Mr Gorman said.
The IFA reported that, at the meeting, Teagasc representatives outlined that 39% of farmers surveyed in the last week estimate they are facing a fodder shortage of 10% or more ahead of the coming winter.
Read More
“It confirms our fears as to the size of the fodder challenge facing us. There is also a huge cash flow crisis on many farms,” Mr Gorman said.
“In addition, our horticulture and tillage sectors are also staring down the barrel of poor harvest yields, compounded by low market returns and rising cost of production,” he added.
The IFA is calling for support for the affected sectors alongside an effective fodder crisis plan.
Mr Gorman said the IFA has been calling for the minister to convene the National Fodder and Food Security Committee for the past 10 days.
“We have already lost 10 days due to inaction and still have no concrete proposals on the table from the minister.
“We all have a part to play in addressing this crisis, but the minister must lead it."
Macra has called for urgent action to support young farmers facing mounting financial and fodder pressures as prolonged dry weather continues to impact farms across the country.
Macra President Josephine O’Neill said: “Young farmers are facing another significant and unforeseen cost. Many are feeding silage intended for the winter while purchasing concentrates far earlier than planned. With margins already extremely tight, this is creating serious cash flow pressure.”
Macra welcomed the minister’s commitment to reconvene the National Fodder and Food Security Committee, but expressed disappointment no concrete timeline was provided.
“The committee needs to meet urgently, and it cannot be a talking shop. We need concrete actions and meaningful support that address the challenges farmers are facing now and in the months ahead,” Ms O’Neill said.
ICMSA president Denis Drennan has called on the Government to accept a fodder crisis is looming and to "get ahead" of it.
Mr Drennan said the competent and practical fashion with which the fodder shortage of 2018 was dealt with should provide a very useful template and example.
ICMSA dairy committee chair Noel Murphy said: “Obviously, ICMSA would be focused on how this drought is going to impact our dairy farmer membership and it is highly likely milk flows in Ireland this autumn will be significantly reduced due to several factors — specifically the extremely dry, hot weather and consequent lack of grass growth.
"That has farmers feeding precious winter stocks and increasing per-litre costs, while milk supplies from the cows are falling. So we are in that ‘double whammy’ of feeding more and getting less for it. That’s inevitably going to drop domestic supplies, and we hope that that’s going to push milk price up.”
ICSA president Sean McNamara has said farmers need action now as the pressure from the prolonged dry weather continues to build.
Mr McNamara said it was not good enough to simply monitor the situation and action must be taken now to benefit farmers.
"The minister said that any additional support will be considered when the full picture is available and in the context of Budget 2027. That is too late. Farmers are carrying these extra costs now and we need practical measures and financial support now,” he said.
“We already know enough to start planning. Farmers are using winter fodder now, and that could leave a much bigger problem in spring.
"Farmers have told us what they need, and we brought that to the Minister. We now need action. Monitoring will not put fodder in a shed or pay the bills on a farm.”
A spokesperson for the society said: “Farmers are extremely resilient and have come through similar challenging periods in the past; however, a collective response is needed to ensure that all stakeholders and agencies can ensure that farmers get the right advice in a timely fashion to deal with a very dynamic situation.
“At the start of the drought period, fodder reserves across the country were in a very strong position, but it is very clear that a targeted approach will be needed in the areas most affected by drought, which is causing significant financial stress, as well as mental and physical pressures from managing the extra workload, as farmers seek to prioritise the health and wellbeing of their livestock.”
Check out the Irish Examiner's WEATHER CENTRE for regularly updated short and long range forecasts wherever you are.
