Ireland South MEP Seán Kelly is pushing for support from the EC’s regional committee, on which he sits, for emergency assistance as the fodder shortage continues.
The crisis stems from poor weather conditions in summer 2012, resulting in lower quality hay and silage, followed by delayed grass growth this spring from the prolonged cold snap.
Irish livestock has been struggling to find forage and farms are having to buy in pricier feed such as wheat or barley. The Irish agriculture department has already extended the closing off of traditional hay meadows by a month to May 15 and, on May 1, Irish agriculture minister Simon Coveney announced an extension of the Imported Fodder Transport Scheme for a week until May 10, with maize silage also to be eligible under the scheme.
The minister has also asked banks to be flexible in extending credit to farmers, while the department is offering an emergency animal welfare helpline.
“The weather has improved somewhat but grass growing conditions are still below normal and there are farmers in parts of the country who are still finding it difficult to locate enough forage for their animals,” said Coveney. “No animal should die of starvation in this country and help is available to those farmers who cannot cope.”
The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has called for fodder aid subsidies to be extended and to additionally encompass private merchants and co-ops importing feed.
“IFA has established a number of supply links from the UK, which has already sourced 5,000 tonnes of feed,” says John Bryan, IFA president. “This will be delivered into the country and distributed by co-ops, marts and merchants this week. Farmers are sharing what forage is left here between them and the IFA branch network is co-ordinating this effort.” IFA representatives have also travelled to France to secure fodder.
Hardship Fund
The Northern Ireland Assembly, meanwhile, has approved a hardship fund to alleviate the loss of 28,500 farm animals in Down and Antrim during the spring cold snap when feed had to be airlifted to sheep left stranded in remote areas.
A first phase of support from the Assembly funded collection and disposal of fallen stock, while the hardship scheme will tackle livestock losses with a total cap of €7,500 (£6,320) per farmer applied.