Fianna Fáil backbenchers call for fodder committee to reconvene
Non-government members of Fianna Fáil have called for the National Fodder and Feed Security Committee to be reconvened "urgently".
A statement from the party's 'Agriculture Team', said that farmers across the country face growing pressure following the driest July on record.
The Fianna Fáil Agriculture Team is made up of Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food chairperson and Cork North-West TD Aindrias Moynihan; party spokesperson on agriculture and Carlow-Kilkenny TD Peter 'Chap' Cleere; Louth TD Erin McGreehan; and the party's Seanad spokesperson on Agriculture, Senator Paul Daly.
"Ireland is experiencing weather conditions that farms have never before experienced, with prolonged dry weather putting significant pressure on grass growth and fodder supplies," they said.
Their statement added: "Farmers across the country are feeling unprecedented pressure, with many already reporting that fodder and silage supplies are being significantly reduced or, in some cases, exhausted.
"With no significant rainfall forecast, there are concerns that it could be well into September before there is sufficient grass growth to replenish supplies."
The National Fodder and Food Security Committee was established in 2022 by then Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue.
It was put in place to monitor and respond to emerging risks to supplies of fodder.
The Fianna Fáil Agriculture Team said the committee can track grass growth, silage stocks and winter feed supplies; and can coordinate early warnings, assess regional shortages, and recommend practical supports or contingency measures to help farmers manage feed availability during periods of extreme weather.
"Given the exceptional conditions we are now experiencing, the Fianna Fáil Agriculture Team believes the committee should be reconvened urgently to assess the situation on farms, hear directly from farming organisations, and identify what supports are urgently required," the statement said.
"We are seeing weather conditions across Ireland and much of western and central Europe that are becoming increasingly difficult for farmers to manage," it added.
"Farmers cannot be expected to carry the burden of increasingly extreme weather conditions alone.
The three TDs and one senator said that farmers are facing a combination of pressures that are out of their control, including a prolonged drought at home, alongside serious disruption to agricultural input markets.
"The Strait of Hormuz remains a major concern for the availability and cost of fertiliser, while the current drought is putting immediate pressure on grass and fodder supplies," they said.
"The priority now must be to get ahead of the situation, properly assess fodder supplies, and ensure that the necessary supports are ready to be put in place if these conditions continue," the Fianna Fáil representatives added.
