New transport scheme, catch crops proposed to tackle fodder crisis
A new fodder transport scheme and support for catch crop production are among measures suggested by the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA) to tackle the ongoing fodder crisis.
ICSA rural development chair Edmond Phelan said: “We welcome the measures already announced by Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine Martin Heydon, but we need to keep moving.
“We need to make it easier to get fodder to farms that need it and we need to look at ways of producing more fodder for the months ahead.”
Phelan called for the distance requirement under the previous fodder transport scheme to be substantially reduced.
That scheme in 2024 provided additional assistance to livestock farmers most severely affected by the prolonged exceptional weather conditions at that time.
He said: “We should be looking at a threshold of around 20km to 25km.
“If there is fodder available 20km or 25km away, farmers should be able to buy it and get it moved.
“It makes much more sense to move fodder over shorter distances and would also give agricultural contractors more scope to do the work.”
Catch crops
Phelan added that a catch crops scheme along the lines of what was introduced in 2018 should also be introduced without delay.
The €2.75 million ‘Fodder Production Incentive Measure for Tillage Farmers 2018’ was launched by then-Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed.
It was designed as an incentive for tillage farmers to produce extra feed in autumn to help ease the anticipated fodder shortage at the time, following difficult growing conditions for livestock farmers that summer.
Phelan said: “Teagasc could help match dairy and livestock farmers who need fodder with tillage farmers who have land available.
“People who have the capacity to grow more will only do it if they have certainty that there will be a market for it.”
In addition, he said a derogation should be considered for tillage land in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES).
“Some tillage land is currently in an ACRES measure involving overwinter stubble and cannot be touched until January.
“We should look at whether some of this land could be used to grow a catch crop for fodder.
"This needs a derogation, and it should be seriously considered," Phelan added.
The ICSA rural development chair said that every practical option should be examined.
He explained: “Many farmers are already drawing heavily on their winter fodder and if that continues, supplies could be seriously depleted by Christmas.
“We need to act now to stop this fodder crisis becoming a catastrophe.”
