Farmers in GLAS will have to hold fire unfortunately until next week to cut their traditional hay meadows (THM). According to the terms and conditions of the scheme, cutting cannot take place until after 1 July annually. There were calls for the Department of Agriculture to bring the cutting date forward by one week to take advantage of the ideal hay making conditions.
Farmers in GLAS will have to hold fire unfortunately until next week to cut their traditional hay meadows (THM). According to the terms and conditions of the scheme, cutting cannot take place until after 1 July annually.
There were calls for the Department of Agriculture to bring the cutting date forward by one week to take advantage of the ideal hay making conditions.
However, a Department spokesperson said farmers who chose the THM action voluntarily committed to the closure of such meadows until 1 July.
“Farmers who do this action are compensated for doing so – they receive €315/ha for this measure and some farmers receive up to €3,150 by bringing in 10ha. In total, these farmers will be paid at least €8m this year for this one action,” the spokesperson said.
“This requirement only means they have to maintain the meadow without cutting until next Sunday (1 July). After that, they’re free to cut and conserve the hay as they would with any other field,” the spokesperson added.
Fianna Fáil agriculture spokesperson Charlie McConalogue said that it shows a total lack of consideration for farmers who need to be able to respond effectively to the current fine weather spell.
Fire warning
The Department of Agriculture has issued a danger red rating for forest fires, which means there is an extreme risk of fire. This warning is arising from current prolonged high pressure weather patterns, high temperatures and effective drought conditions.
The Department says an extreme fire risk is deemed to exist in all areas where hazardous fuels exist.
“This meteorological risk is further compounded by high levels of public activity and related ignitions risks associated with the fine weather.”
The advice is to avoid all outdoor use of fires, barbecues and other open ignition sources on forest lands and in other high-risk areas until further notice.
Extreme caution is also advised with respect to hay making and the use of machinery and other agricultural activity that may also present a risk of fire in dry vegetation.
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