Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful to have the opportunity to inform the House of the actions I have undertaken in seeking to ensure sufficient supplies of fodder for the coming winter and spring of 2019. A survey of fodder supplies in September, conducted on my behalf by Teagasc, indicated that the potential national fodder deficit had reduced from 18% earlier this summer to 11% at that time. Further reductions are anticipated since this survey was conducted as farmers continue to harvest fodder in what has been a productive autumn period on Irish farms.

My priority is to support the conservation of as much fodder for the coming winter as possible from own resources, and to supplement this with necessary imports as required. To achieve this I introduced a number of targeted measures. I introduced a €2.75 million fodder production incentive for tillage farmers to encourage tillage growers to actively engage in the fodder market and there has been very positive uptake of this measure - in the region of 20,000 ha.

I further announced a €4.25 million fodder import support measure for autumn 2018. The measure seeks to reduce the cost to farmers of imported forage. While the measure will operate through the co-operatives and registered importers, the actual beneficiaries will be farmers who need supplies of fodder.

Additionally, I secured agreement from the European Commissioner, Phil Hogan, to pay higher advance Pillar 1 and 2 payments, which will be increased to 70% and 85%, respectively, resulting in €260 million in additional cashflow for farmers at a vital time of the year. Furthermore, following consultation with the European Commission, my Department made some temporary adjustments to the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS, for this year and, in consultation with my ministerial colleague, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, a two-week extension of the closed period for the spreading of chemical and organic fertilisers was announced and has allowed farmers capitalise on autumn grass growth for fodder production.

I am confident that the range of measures introduced by me to date, taken together and targeted at producing as much fodder as possible from our own land, is the most effective response to ensuring adequate supplies ahead of the coming winter. I do not propose to introduce measures to support the importation of concentrate feed.  However I can assure the Deputy that I will continue to closely monitor and engage on this significant challenge during the coming period.

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