Aontú TD for Mayo, Paul Lawless, has described as a “crisis” the situation facing many farmers particularly in the south east of the country where they have gone some time without rain and their ability to grow grass is hindered.
Speaking today Deputy Lawless said: “We are well used to rain in this country, but when it stops raining for a long period we are not accustomed to dealing with the consequences that farmers face. Many people in the south east or in cities will now be familiar with the sight of grass turning yellow in the dry heat. For farmers the lack of rain means they cannot grow grass as quickly as normal. Farmers are now being forced to buy extra feed and supplements for their livestock as a result of this crisis. The government needs to step up and intervene here. A fodder crisis in the summer months shows just how tough a winter many will face”.
Deputy Lawless continued: “We need to see the urgent reestablishment of the Fodder and Food Security Committee which was done back in 2022 to examine ways to support farmers. We need financial packages for farmers to get them through this. We need grants for tillage farmers to produce silage for sale in the winter months. This was done in 2018. We need to incentivise farmers through grants to keep an odd field ungrazed so that in an event of a crisis another farmer can put cattle into that field. There should be government money involved in that process”
“We also need to see a situation where farmers are given grants to grow crops now – it isn’t too late – to sustain the sector in the winter months. When someone cuts their barley or wheat the field is often left untouched – but their is a window of time there where silage could be produced from that field. Some farmers do it already but we should encourage and incentivise it with money.
“The straw incorporation scheme asks farmers basically to put straw back into the ground – this scheme should be ended temporarily. Otherwise we are going to have to start importing straw from abroad. A new scheme to keep straw would benefit BOTH tillage and livestock farmers,2 he said.
“Aontú is also calling for a grain rebate scheme for farmers who purchase Irish grain. The rules about the window for spreading fertiliser need to be relaxed. The September 25th deadline is dangerous given the rain might not return in some parts before that date – the second the opportunity arises regardless what date it is we are going to have to mass-grow silage. Nothing can be allowed to stand in our way or we could face utter devastation.”
“This is a crisis and I also want to see a pause on farm inspections because farmers have enough stress already without facing inspections in the middle of the crisis. Dairy farmers are under huge pressure to find supplements and feed for cows and are likely not making a profit at all. The government needs to take this crisis seriously,” he concluded.