Irish Farmers Association Repeats Calls for Government Action on Fodder Crisis

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has reiterated its call for the government to actively assist farmers grappling with a severe fodder crisis. IFA president Francie Gorman described the situation as "really serious," emphasizing the immense cost and workload burdens farmers are experiencing due to unfavorable weather preventing grass growth.

“

It is a really serious situation. Firstly, we can’t make grass grow when the weather doesn’t allow us to. So this is a huge cost issue on farms at the moment, as well as a workload issue at a time when farmers should be looking to have a few days off before the kids go back to school.

Gorman highlighted that farmers are already consuming their winter fodder reserves, with some parts of Leinster having only 3.5 tonnes of fodder available against a general winter requirement of at least five tonnes. He noted that the weather outlook does not suggest a significant improvement in the coming weeks, making it difficult to bridge this deficit.

During a meeting with Teagasc, farming organizations outlined the gravity of the crisis, particularly in the eastern and southeastern regions. The IFA's key demands include the Department of Agriculture co-funding fertilizer strategies to the maximum extent possible and reviewing regulations that impact farming practices. They also proposed exploring subsidies for transporting fodder from areas where it is available to regions facing shortages.

“

Farmers expect a little bit more action than that from our Government, from our department, and we don’t believe they realise we’ve got a serious problem.

The IFA expressed disappointment that the only concrete outcome from the meeting was the formation of a Fodder and Food Security Committee, which is expected to convene in the future. Gorman stressed that farmers require more tangible action and expressed concern that the government and the Department of Agriculture may not fully grasp the severity of the problem.

“

There’s not much point in doing a survey of a house when the house is burnt down. We know the situation. I’ve been out on the farm myself, I didn’t need to do it to confirm what the position was, but at the same time, you can’t beat being out with people on the ground, talking to them, asking them how they’re coping with the situation.

Adding to the crisis, horticultural growers anticipate a potential 50% reduction in potato and field root crops, forecasting one of the poorest harvests on record. For livestock farms, particularly dairy operations, the situation is dire as they deplete winter feed supplies. A recent survey indicated that 40% of farmers face a significant deficit in the fodder needed for the upcoming winter.

“

It doesn’t appear like the weather is going to improve in a fortnight or three weeks to allow us to make up that deficit.