The National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) is to meet again next week to discuss the current fodder situation in the country.

During the committee's last meeting, held almost two weeks ago, it was agreed that a follow-up meeting would be arranged to review developments.

Mike Magan, chair of the NFFSC, has confirmed that the committee will meet at Teagasc Head Office at Oak Park Co. Carlow on Monday (September 7).

Members will hear about the impact of recent rainfall on grass growth and the availability of fodder.

Teagasc will also provide an update on its advisory activities to support farmers.

The meeting will also allow members to examine the current actions and supports being provided across the sector.

Fodder

The previous meeting of the committee heard that while some farms were under pressure as a result of poor grass growth due to the drought, particularly in the east and south, there are fodder supplies in the country.

A Teagasc survey of 396 dairy and drystock farms presented at that meeting showed that 12% of farms in the country were 20% short of fodder.

A further 19% of farms reported being between 10-20% short of their winter fodder needs.

The survey also showed that on the week beginning August 10 some 22% of the farms had fewer than 100 days of feed available on farm.

"There's feed in the country, but it's the distribution of it that's an issue," Dr Joe Patton, head of Dairy Knowledge at Teagasc, told the meeting.

There were numerous calls from those at the meeting for the introduction of a government subsidised transport scheme to allow fodder move to where it is needed.

The NFFSC committee includes representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Teagasc, Bord Bia, farm organisations, banks, industry representative bodies and the farming media.