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This afternoon (Friday, August 14), ICOS issued a statement in saying that that ‘it is very clear that a targeted approach will be needed in the areas most affected by drought, which is causing significant financial stress’. It believes that the NFFSC should reconvene without further delay.
ICOS said: “Farmers are extremely resilient and have come through similar challenging periods in the past, however, a collective response is needed to ensure that all stakeholders and agencies can ensure that farmers get the right advice in a timely fashion to deal with a very dynamic situation.
“A joined-up stakeholder response under the NFFSC with input from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc, co-operatives, and farm organisations in the past has played a crucial role in providing clear, accessible, and actionable advice to farmers. At the start of the drought period, fodder reserves across the country were in a very strong position, but it is very clear that a targeted approach will be needed in the areas most affected by drought, which is causing significant financial stress, as well as mental and physical pressures from managing the extra workload, as farmers seek to prioritise the health and wellbeing of their livestock.”
‘Action appears to be slow’ – Macra
Macra national president, Josephine O’Neill said she raised the issue directly with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine at a meeting on July 22, calling for the NFFSC to be reconvened. She subsequently followed up in writing to the Minister on July 29, reiterating the urgency of the situation.
“Action appears to be slow, but we cannot afford to keep waiting until it is too late,” she said. With some farmers already having to supplement grass supplies and draw on fodder reserves, Macra is concerned that continued dry weather could leave farms facing significant shortages later in the year.
“Farmers, particularly young farmers with limited financial and fodder reserves, cannot afford to wait until there is a crisis before action is taken. The NFFSC exists to bring the relevant stakeholders together and plan for challenges such as this. It should be reconvened without delay. The warning signs are already there. The Government must act now to ensure farmers have the support and certainty they need in the months ahead.”
Heavy supplementation
Irish Farmers’ Association president, Francie Gorman said that farmers are now heavily supplementing livestock with feed due to low to non-existent grass. "That is why we must reconvene the NFFSC as soon as possible,” he said.
“Farmers, in the main, have been managing the situation effectively over the past few weeks. There are also significant stocks of fodder in reserve on a lot of farms. But if we do not get rain soon, the situation could exacerbate quite quickly.
"That’s why it's important we get on top of this situation now; early intervention is critical here. Furthermore, if this situation continues to deteriorate there may well be need for supports here, particularly given that it is likely that any fodder surpluses are located some distance from where fodder shortages are most evident.”