Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue is being called on to develop a subsidy scheme for farmers so that there is enough fodder and bedding available this winter.
Senator Tim Lombard said that the minister “must act now” on the issue.
Lombard, who is Fine Gael’s spokesperson for agriculture in the Seanad, said that a fodder subsidy scheme needs to be set up to allow farmers import straw.
“Minister McConalogue needs to be proactive now and avoid a potential crisis for farmers.
“We’ve seen from the winter crop which has been cut that the volume is well below the expected yield,” Lombard said.
He added: “Recently-cut winter barley is showing more than a 50% reduction in the number of round bales produced this year.”
The senator and dairy farmer said that crop yields have been impacted for the whole year, notwithstanding the fodder transport subsidy announced earlier this year.
“The introduction of the fodder scheme in April was a welcome step to supporting farmers, giving a financial contribution to offset transport costs of hay, fodder beet, straw, and silage for feeding.
The scheme announced in April was introduced with the aim of providing additional assistance to livestock farmers most severely affected by the prolonged exceptional weather conditions experienced at the time.
However, according to Lombard, that weather will continue to have an impact as the year progresses.
“Weather conditions experienced since the beginning of this year have affected projected crop yields for the whole year,” Lombard added.
He called for a contingency plan to be developed now rather than waiting to see what volume of harvested crop will be available.
“We can’t afford to wait around for the spring cereal crop to be cut. We already know that it will be poor and the volume will fall below what’s needed, so a contingency plan needs to be put in place,” he said.
“The minister needs to offset any potential shortages by introducing a subsidy scheme now which will allow farmers and co-ops to import straw. Farmers don’t have the luxury of waiting,” he added.
The senator commented: “There is a real fear that there won’t be enough fodder and bedding for the winter, and farmers need assurances that they won’t face fodder and bedding shortages.”