The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) is calling for the introduction of a fodder support scheme for sheep and cattle farmers.

A growing number of farmers have contacted the organisation expressing concern around their fodder supplies, INHFA vice president John Joe Fitzgerald said.

"With grass growth over the summer well behind previous years, leading to lower fodder supplies, farms across the country are now looking at tight supplies for the coming winter” stated Fitzgerald.

“This reduction in the amount of silage and hay made has been further complicated in western areas through August, where heavy rain forced many farmers into housing stock and feeding silage that was already in short supply,” added Fitzgerald.

As we look to the coming winter period Fitzgerald stressed the need to support farmers through a scheme that can accommodate their specific requirements.

The scheme he said will need to recognise that for some farmers it will be support to buy silage or hay, while for others the preference may be to extend existing fodder stocks through the feeding of meal and for other farmers, the purchasing of straw may help in both their bedding and fodder requirements.

To accommodate these outcomes, Fitzgerald recommended a scheme paying a specific amount of money based around cattle and sheep numbers and a scheme that would have a maximum payment. For farmers to avail of this they would need to apply, detailing what stock they have.

Fitzgerald has pushed Minister McConalogue and Finance Minister Jack Chambers for a budget allocation to support such a scheme.

"Now is the time to address this issue and not next spring when fodder supplies will be even tighter and options more limited," he said.