The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has hit out at the 2023 Fodder Support Scheme, claiming that many sheep farmers have been “left behind” by its terms and conditions.
Earlier this week, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue announced a funding pot of €13 million for the scheme for 2023.
It is a continuation of the 2022 scheme which was set up to encourage more farmers to make silage or hay amid concerns that the high price of inputs such as fertiliser this year, would result in a drop in fodder crops.
Fodder scheme terms
IFA Sheep Committee chair, Kevin Comiskey has said the terms and conditions issued by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) for the advance payment for the scheme is “another example of sheep farmers being left behind”.
Comiskey said the scheme is only available to farmers who qualified for payments in 2022 and is based on saving hay and silage.
The IFA chair said a large cohort of sheep farmers operating in hill areas were unable to claim the scheme this year and have now also being ruled out of the €30 million scheme.
He said the IFA highlighted concerns for the store lamb trade to the minister and his officials earlier this year and stated that this has now come to pass with a “very difficult store trade for lighter hill lambs” in particular, which are the same cohort of farmers ruled out of this scheme.
Anger
Comiskey said the lack of support for sheep farmers from the minister has reached a critical stage and the “failure of the minister and his officials to address the shortcomings in the original Fodder Support Scheme” has angered sheep farmers.
The IFA has called on Minister McConalogue to come forward with targeted supports for sheep farmers in recognition of the current difficulties on farms and the market failure to return production cost increases.
Comiskey stated: “Factory prices are now up to €12/lamb behind last year despite the increased production costs on farms. This is not sustainable in a low-income vulnerable sector and must be offset by direct supports.”
He has called on the minister to immediately commit funding to a targeted scheme for sheep farmers that will bring direct supports for the sector up to €30/ewe.
Comiskey added: “It is ironic sheep farming is one of the most environmentally sustainable farming systems in the country, yet it is the one government [has] failed to support throughout this crisis and in the new CAP [Common Agriucultural Policy] for next year.”