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The fodder crisis is costing the average Waterford dairy farmer with 100 cows an extra €2,500 a week, according to the farm accountancy firm IFAC.
Ongoing fodder shortages in parts of the country has resulted in the fodder being imported from the UK and France, with measures put in place to support farmers through this challenging time.
A number of co-ops have imported fodder and the Department of Agriculture has provided a Fodder Import Scheme to help the cost of imports, and relax the rules of the Fodder Transport Scheme.
Glanbia has announced that it is providing a €50/t discount on all feed, and additional imported fodder is expected to arrive this week and be sold at cost price through Dairygold, Kerry Agribusiness, Lakelands, Arrabawn and Glanbia.
Support from banks
Banks have also vouched to support farmers, offering to increase overdraft limits and AIB has set up a dedicated out-of-hours helpline for farmers.
“I have been dealing with clients from all over the county in the past number of weeks and I’m seeing first-hand the hardship that the fodder crisis is causing Waterford farmers,” Eoghan Drea, head of the IFAC Waterford office, said.
IFAC has been working directly with farmers in the region and is helping to put capital solutions in place for the year ahead on farms.
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