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The potential fodder shortage for farmers in the west was addressed at two separate meetings last Friday.
The IFA held a meeting in Claremorris while just an hour away the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) held a meeting of its own.
Both organisations focused on the need to deliver a fodder relief scheme for those affected as well as the need to have increased payments under the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) scheme for western farmers.
IFA president Joe Healy urged the minister to deliver a scheme for farmers who need support before the spring.
“We need a fodder scheme and we need it now. Any farmer who acted genuinely and needs help, will get help,” Healy promised.
The fodder and straw shortage has caused a price spike. Round bales of hay have been selling for €50 in places with straw and silage at over €30.
The IFA meeting heard from Aurvio chair Pat Duffy, Austin O’Callaghan from Teagasc and Adam Woods from the Irish Farmers Journal.
Independent TD for Roscommon/east Galway Michael Fitzmaurice attended the IFA meeting and he urged farmers not to charge other farmers struggling with a lack of fodder.
“If there’s a farmer in Cork or wherever with extra fodder and farmers up here that needs it, I’m asking those not to hike prices, not to put the next farmer under pressure.
“My message is pull in the horns, don’t screw the farmer,” Fitzmaurice said.
Survey shows issues
A survey published at the INHFA meeting of 95 farmers showed 95% of those have a fodder shortage.
Those farmers are, on average, 35% short of feed this winter.
Association chair Colm O’Donnell urged all farmers who are clients or non-clients of Teagasc to call their local office next week and give them details of their fodder situation so Teagasc can evaluate the extent of the shortages.
The INHFA meeting heard from Sinn Féin agriculture spokesman Martin Kenny and Fianna Fáil’s agriculture spokesman Charlie McConalogue.
What they said
Pat Duffy, chair of Aurivo Co-op: “We got a sense that things would be bad in August. We imported 57 loads of fodder from the UK in 2013 (as a result of the fodder crisis) but that’s a last resort. We want to help farmers earlier to head off any crisis that might develop.”
Martin Kenny, Sinn Féin: “The problem is the wrong people have the silage.”
Charlie McConalogue, Fianna Fáil: “There is a real issue, it is localised, it’s not everywhere, but where it is it is quite acute and there needs to be an immediate response to it from the Government.”
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