Concerns are growing among farmers and farm organisations over a perceived lack of detail and thought over the proposed government fodder scheme.

The introduction of the fodder scheme was confirmed on Wednesday 24 January, by Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed, and provides a transport subsidy of between €12 to €8, depending on fodder type.

The minister stated that the subsidy would only be applied to fodder hauled from over 100km away to the place where it was needed.

It’d be cheaper to spare your own silage and buy nuts

Farmers in Ennis mart expressed confusion and frustration over the lack of details supplied by the Department the day after the scheme was confirmed.

“Anywhere you can get bales you should be able to pay the haulier to come from, so there should be no mileage involved in the scheme,” one farmer told the Irish Farmers Journal.

There were also a number of farmers who felt that a fodder voucher system for meal would have been more effective, and meant that ‘lucky bag’, poor-quality silage could be avoided.

“It’d be cheaper to spare your own silage and buy nuts, but this way the money is going to the transport and not the farmer or the livestock,” another farmer said.

“There’s no comparison with 10 bales of silage, which are €300 compared with a tonne of meal, because it’s €100 to transport the 10 bales, and there’s better feed value in the meal,” he concluded.

Farmers have to be assessed by a qualified agricultural adviser to be deemed eligible for the scheme, but many farmers were concerned that only Teagasc clients could avail of the scheme and would be first in line for the subsidy, and asked that the Department supply more details on the requirements of the scheme.

Farm organisations

Answering a question from ICSA Sligo chair Gabriel Gilmartin, at the organisation's AGM on Thursday, Minister Creed said farmers who had fodder transported before the scheme started would not be eligible for the subsidy.

Gilmartin also asked whether fodder could be sourced outside the co-ops participating in the scheme, giving the example of straw supplies.

I don't think it's fair to say the co-ops are profiteering from this.

"Aurivo co-op is charging around €100 for an 8x4x4 bale, but the ICSA can deliver 8x4x3 bales to Sligo for €66. There is no need to make money for the co-ops," he said.

Minister Creed replied that purchases would have to go through the co-ops because that was the procedure agreed to account for the scheme's funds.

"It is taxpayers' money," the minister said. "I don't think it's fair to say the co-ops are profiteering from this."

The IFA has also asked for further scheme details and say farmers are growing frustrated by the failure of the Department to deliver more information on the scheme.

IFA Connacht Regional chair Padraic Joyce said the application forms should be made available immediately to allow farmers to make arrangements.

"The Minister gave this commitment when I raised it at the IFA AGM last week. On Wednesday the Department announced some details but we are still waiting for the application forms."

Joyce also stated that there would have to be some degree of flexibility to the 100km distance rule.

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