Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The farming community is going through a terrible time because of the fodder crisis, animal welfare issues and a cash flow crisis which is placing many farmers under serious mental health strain. The Minister must redouble efforts to bring urgently needed hay into the country, not only to deal with the immediate shortage but also to make provision for continuing poor weather over the summer. In my part of the country there are three to four farmers for every single bale that comes west of the Shannon. The Minister must immediately release an interim payment under the disadvantaged areas scheme to allow farmers to access money to purchase fertiliser and get it out on land as soon as possible. May and June are vital months for getting the volumes of grass required for winter forage.

Farmers have already spent their fertiliser money on buying additional fodder. Every possible effort must also be made to export store animals. Marts around the country cannot shift light store animals because farmers do not have the fodder to buy them and farmers selling stock do not have the fodder to keep them and bring them home. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Teagasc must undertake a full audit of stocking rates on farms and ensure assistance is provided directly for farmers who may not have adequate potential fodder supplies to maintain stocking rates in the long term. Additional support must be provided for farmers who have already availed of departmental support on animal welfare grounds. All farmers must complete a basic fodder management plan in conjunction with Teagasc to assess the requirements for and capacity to harvest forage for next winter. If these steps are not taken, we will face a further fodder crisis in the autumn which will require direct financial support, something which will have serious implications for the Exchequer.

Everyone within the agriculture sector must pull together to get through the current weather and fodder crisis and ensure all efforts are made to protect individual farmers in the coming months who may face additional challenges owing to the levels of stock on farms.

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