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Farmers are on their knees as a result of the continuing fodder shortage and the Government has totally misjudged the situation, according to Fianna Fáil TD Niamh Smyth.
Speaking in the Dáil this week, Smyth and other Fianna Fáil TDs were highly critical of the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed’s response to the fodder shortage.
Smyth said that there has been no empathy from the Minister's side with the farmers who are struggling to survive as the cold, wet weather continues unabated and poor soil conditions prevent them from putting cattle out to grass as we approach April.
“The Government's transport subsidy scheme has been a gigantic failure, with just nine applications to date.
“The Government has totally misjudged the situation. The Minister has been absent on the job and has gone into hiding as the severe weather conditions continue over the winter and now into the spring.”
“Farmers are on their knees,” she said.
Serious case
The fodder shortage was highlighted in a stark way by Eamon Scanlon, Fianna Fáil TD for Sligo-Leitrim, who told the Dáil chamber of a farmer at his wit’s end in his constituency.
“A constituent of mine rang the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine yesterday. He was put through to a very nice girl who tried to console him.
“This man is at his wit's end. He is not alone but his is the most serious case about which I have heard. He is in such a state. He has no money left. He is on farm assist. He has no credit anywhere.”
He has cattle and he told the girl yesterday that he was thinking about shooting his cows and shooting himself.
“The official was very good and kind to this man and told him that she will help him as soon as she can. That is a fact. There are not many people in that state but they are not far off it,” Scanlon said.
‘Farmers need assistance to remain viable’
Former Minister for Agriculture and current Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith said that many farmers are out of fodder, there is no growth, there is no grass, the weather is cold and miserable and they face a real financial crisis.
“We must remember that from late July and into August, some people have cattle housed. What a length of time to face these difficulties.
“Along with the income crisis, they face the fact that there is no fodder available. The only way of providing practical assistance is through a dedicated meal voucher scheme,” he said.
The farmers to whom I spoke do not want handouts, but at this time they need assistance to remain viable.
Fianna Fáil’s spokesperson on agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, told Minister Creed that his decision to subsidise the transport of an already short fodder resource from one part of the country to another defies logic when what should instead have been introduced was a meal voucher targeted at those in need.
“As we now come into a very late spring, the whole country is in need and no part of the country has fodder to spare.
“The Minister's attention now needs to turn to making contingency plans if the poor weather continues and growth continues not to happen. He needs to make contingency plans to ensure fodder can be transported from outside the country,” he said.
Minister’s response
In response, Minister Creed said that his officials continue to engage with Teagasc and the industry to ensure their ongoing efforts to support farmers through this current period are co-ordinated and targeted for maximum effect.
“The key focus of these supports must remain on fodder budgeting, optimising use of concentrates, nutritional advice and, most importantly, grassland management. I will closely monitor the outcome of this ongoing engagement.
“As we finally come towards the end of a difficult and prolonged winter, it is timely to look forward and put the experience gained to good use.
“The basic requirement for viability, whether it be on an expanding dairy farm or on a dry stock farm in a more difficult area, is the capacity to conserve adequate winter feed for the livestock numbers on the farm, even for such a prolonged and difficult winter as this has been,” he said.
The Minister said he is not out of touch on the issue, and that he is engaged and appreciates the issues involved.
“We are actively managing this issue. We are coming to the end of a very difficult period and I hope that, collectively, we can learn the lessons from this and ensure that adequate fodder conservation is at the heart of the advisory services my Department will deliver to farmers as we face into the spring and early summer of 2018,” he said.
Fodder supply is 'individual farmers' responsibility' - Creed
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