It has been confirmed that silage will be cut, weather permitting, at Shannon Airport’s 400ac site tomorrow morning.

This will take place as part of an intervention aimed at easing the fodder crisis for local farmers.

The airport made the offer to cut the grass when it met with farmers’ representatives last week and it has reportedly been in ongoing conversations since.

Also Read: Airport pledges support to fodder-deprived farmers with 400ac grass offer

A decision was made earlier this week to, weather permitting, press ahead with the grass cutting. In light of tomorrow’s positive forecast, it is set to commence in the morning.

The airport carried out the same intervention in 2013, during the previous severe fodder shortage experienced by farmers. At that time, farmers received 1,600 bales of silage from the airport.

Normally, no grass inside the airport’s perimeter would be cut until later in the summer – but, in light of the shortages, the airport offered to bring cutting forward to support local farmers.

Previously commenting on the intervention, airport operations director Niall Maloney said: “Farmers were in difficulty back then and, having seen just how important our intervention was, we have been watching the situation closely over the past few weeks and will be making the same offer to farmers’ representatives again when we meet them.

We are a community airport and were delighted then to do what we could and the farmers were hugely appreciative.

“It was a critical intervention for many local farmers and so well received that other airports followed our lead – and we hope they will do so again this time also,” he said.