Written answers
Thursday, 26 October 2023
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Fodder Crisis
Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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102. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce a fodder support scheme for farmers in the Shannon Callows who lost their fodder due to the flooding of the Callows in summer 2023 and who are now without fodder for the winter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46302/23]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that in June 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, I launched the €56 million Fodder Support Scheme. The aim of the scheme was to incentivise farmers, in particular drystock farmers, to grow more fodder (silage and/or hay) to reduce the risk of animal welfare issues over the 2022 winter and 2023 spring.
In November 2022, I launched the 2023 Fodder Support Scheme and made an advance payment of €30 million under the 2023 Fodder Scheme in December 2022.
Both the 2022 and 2023 schemes were a recognition of the impact of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and its impact on the availability of imported animal feed and on the price of agricultural inputs, especially chemical fertiliser.
At this time, there are no plans to introduce a further fodder support scheme for farmers in the Shannon Callows.
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