‘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.”