Hundreds of bales of silage and hay donated

A text appeal by the IFA in Tipperary has seen local farmers generously donate a large supply of silage and hay bales for farmers suffering from a fodder shortage in parts of the country.

Tipperary IFA chair, Tim Cullinan expressed his thanks to farmers for their donations and said: “We are very concerned about our fellow farmers in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal. We’re sending loads of fodder to those counties, with another load of silage going to Donegal this week.”

Mr Cullinan pointed out that one of the biggest costs was haulage, with the trip from Tipperary to Donegal taking at least six hours.

Transport cost is also an issue raised by the ICSA, which is operating a match-making service between farmers with a surplus supply of fodder and farmers in need of it. Their focus is on securing fodder at a fair price.

The ICSA has called for the Department of Agriculture to implement a subsidy to cover fodder transport costs.

A fodder action group meeting, set up by Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed, took place in Sligo on Monday, between farm organisations, Teagasc and the Department.

However farm organisations were left frustrated by the lack of progress, with Lorcan McCabe of the ICMSA calling it a “ticking the box exercise” for the Department.

McCabe urged the Department to take action and introduce a subsidised stretcher ration for farmers in need of fodder immediately.

Options

McCabe said: “There were options before, but there aren’t now since there’s no straw in the country. A targeted stretcher nut, high in fibre, in consultation with Teagasc and the millers should be introduced.

“It would be far better value and farmers would know what they were getting, instead of getting lucky bags of silage.”