‘National crisis’ as bad as foot and mouth

The fodder crisis could hit farming as hard as the foot and mouth disease outbreak which gripped the nation over a decade ago, a farming leader has warned.

Julian O’Keeffe said the feed shortage was no longer just an animal welfare issue — it had now become a human story as desperate farmers find it increasingly difficult to cope.

“It’s affecting farmers across the board — small farmers and big farmers. This is a national crisis now.”

Mr O’Keeffe is chairman of the North and East Cork branch of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) which represents more than 1,100 farmers.

“This has become a human story with farmers under severe pressure. Farmers are frightened about how they are going to get through this.

“I had a man ring me on Saturday who had lost 18 cattle in the last few days, and two more were down at the weekend. It’s frightening stuff.

“And I had another farmer whose bank turned down his request for an overdraft. They asked him to furnish his 2012 accounts but he just didn’t have the money to hire an accountant.”

He made his comments as Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney reached agreement with CEOs of the country’s dairy co-ops to substantially increase the volume of fodder being imported into the country over the short to medium term.

The co-ops have also agreed to consider the introduction of interest-free credit, within limits, to farmers for the purchase of fertiliser in May.

“This will ensure farmers have access to fodder for the foreseeable future and will reassure farmers that fodder supply will not be an issue until grass growth improves,” said Mr Coveney.

“While access to fodder is a priority, grass growth in the months ahead will be the key to ensuring that this problem is overcome.”

After months of record rainfall and bad weather, farmers were braced for a fodder shortage.

They used their feed reserves and had pinned their hopes on good spring growth.

However, with continuing bad weather, it now looks as if the first silage of the year will not be cut until early July.

“And where is the feed for next year going to come from?” asked Mr O’Keeffe.

“Two months of the growing season are gone. We’re now facing just a four-month growing season, with no reserves and nothing to back it up.”

While welcoming the €1m aid package announced by Mr Coveney on Tuesday, which will reduce the price of a bale of hay by one third, Mr O’Keeffe said it was nowhere near enough.

“It’s like ringing the fire brigade to put out the fire, but the fire is still there.

“I don’t think the minister understands the scale of the crisis.”

However, Mr Coveney said yesterday’s announcement by the co-ops, coupled with the aid package, should help farmers.

“There is no reason why any animal on any farm should starve,” he said.

“Support is there for anyone who is facing an emergency situation and I would urge farmers who need support to contact the department.”

Meanwhile, some knackeries in Cork — a county where one third of Ireland’s cattle are registered — have reported a 50% surge in business as farmers seek to dispose of cattle affected by the fodder crisis.

One knackery had to suspend collections for a full day last week to catch up on paperwork, such was the volume of work coming its way.