ICSA Rural Development chair Edmond Phelan has called for the immediate introduction of a new fodder transport scheme with a much lower distance threshold, along with support for producing additional fodder through catch crops. “We welcome the measures already announced by Minister Heydon, but we need to keep moving. We need to make it easier to get fodder to farms that need it and we need to look at ways of producing more fodder for the months ahead,” he said.

Continuing, Mr Phelan said the distance requirement under the previous fodder transport scheme should be substantially reduced. “We should be looking at a threshold of around 20 to 25km. If there is fodder available 20 or 25km away, farmers should be able to buy it and get it moved. It makes much more sense to move fodder over shorter distances and would also give agricultural contractors more scope to do the work.”

He said a catch-crops scheme along the lines of what was introduced in 2018 should also be introduced without delay. “Teagasc could help match dairy and livestock farmers who need fodder with tillage farmers who have land available. People who have the capacity to grow more will only do it if they have certainty that there will be a market for it.”

In addition, he said a derogation should be considered for tillage land in ACRES. “Some tillage land is currently in an ACRES measure involving overwinter stubble and cannot be touched until January. We should look at whether some of this land could be used to grow a catch crop for fodder. This needs a derogation, and it should be seriously considered.”

“We need to look at every practical option now. Many farmers are already drawing heavily on their winter fodder and if that continues, supplies could be seriously depleted by Christmas. We need to act now to stop this fodder crisis becoming a catastrophe.”

ENDS