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THERE HAS BEEN a lot of talk in recent weeks about the escalating fodder crisis and the negative impact it is having on farmers and their livestock.
For months, farmers have faced difficult farming conditions due to persistent cold and wet weather.
Farmers usually purchase enough fodder – dried hay or feed given to cattle and livestock – to last until the spring when the grass begins to grow and animals can begin to eat that instead.
However, the weather since Christmas has meant poor grass growth and a lack of fodder for animals. This means that animals have had to be kept indoors.
Farmers across the country have been calling for an emergency response to the situation since as early as November – and Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed announced yesterday that fodder will have to be imported from abroad.
So, why has the fodder crisis worsened since the winter and what has been done since then to try to resolve it?
Here’s a quick recap of how we got here.
Bad summer weather
The current fodder crisis in Ireland can be tracked back to as far as last July, according to the Irish Farmers Journal, which has provided a timeline of the crisis.
The unexpectedly cold and wet summer meant grass did not grow enough to meet the needs of the animals in many parts of the country.
The heavy rainfall meant that farmers in the western half of the country, and those on heavy ground elsewhere, had to turn their focus away from growing grass to minding ground.
Some 62mm of rain hit Donegal on 22 August, which had a widespread impact to lands in the county with farmers forced to house cattle. This meant that farmers had to begin to eat into winter fodder supplies already.
A lot of farmers in the west and north-west of the country were able to secure their first cut of silage of the year, but very few were able to get a second.
Silage is fermented, high-moisture stored fodder which can be fed to cattle and sheep.
First calls of a fodder crisis
As early as last November, a number of TDs called on Minister Creed to address the deepening crisis and implement a fodder scheme to establish a fund for affected farmers.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie in November, President of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Joe Healy said that the shortage was a “very serious situation”.
“It’s just gotten progressively worse. You don’t want your animals to be hungry,” he said.
In response to calls for a crisis fund, Creed said that while the Department of Agriculture and Teagasc were monitoring the situation, he did not believe that there was currently a fodder crisis in the country.
Establishment of fodder action group
In December, a survey undertaken by Teagasc on behalf of the Department of Agriculture found that over 85% of farmers in the northwest who completed feed budgets were going to be short of fodder.
On 7 December, Creed ruled out the establishment of a fodder scheme and he instead committed to the establishment of a fodder action group to assess the fodder shortage situation.
Creed said in December that there was not a national fodder crisis.
In January, the Fodder Transport Support scheme was announced to deal with the situation. This scheme provides support for transport of hay, silage and straw being transported over 100 kilometres.
Storm Emma crisis
Hopes for better weather as spring approached were diminished for farmers as Storm Emma and the Beast from the East hit the country in early March.
Fodder suppliers and contractors reported an increase in fodder demand amid fears of a delayed spring.
The IFA again called on Minister Creed to address the fodder crisis.
In March, Creed said that fodder supply is “individual farmers responsibility”.
The current situation
Yesterday, Minister Creed announced that fodder will have to be imported into Ireland to tackle the crisis.
Speaking after a meeting with Teagasc and industry representatives, Creed said that he has asked government officials to develop a scheme to support the import of fodder from outside Ireland.
He added that there is no simple solution to the current shortages and said that it will require a collaborative effort of all stakeholders to support affected farmers to ensure adequate feed supplies are available.
Today it was reported that over 2,500 tonnes of animal feed will arrive in Ireland to help tackle the crisis.
The fodder that arrives today for Dairygold is haylage and hay and is being sourced from the UK.
Criticism
Despite the government’s latest announcement to resolve the crisis, a number of political parties hit out at the lack of efforts being made.
Yesterday, Sinn Féin MEP Matt Carthy hit out at Creed for “exacerbating the fodder shortage crisis” by failing to engage in talks early enough and failing to put in place sufficient measures to support farmers facing shortages.
Minister Creed also asked departmental officials to examine the current Fodder Transport Support measure in order to “ensure it adequately addresses all experiencing fodder shortages”.
Today, Fianna Fáil spokesperson on agriculture Charlie McConalogue said that clarity needs to be provided surrounding the transport subsidy.
“There is a degree of confusion among farmers, co-ops and fodder agents as to who is eligible to avail of the subsidy, how to go about accessing it and what it entails,” McConalogue said.
“Minister Creed needs to outline a clear plan to deal with this crisis and more specifically publish the details of this scheme so that co-ops and agents can get on with importing fodder.”
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If Leo Varadkar wants the Farmers vote in the next election Mr Creed should be replaced immediately, this man is doing nothing for struggling depressed farmers.
@Joan Farrell: Cant get mu head around this one cattle were never as dear usual when There is a fodder shortage cattle are cheap as farmers cut back
@Joan Farrell: creed totally lost and out of his depth with this crisis yet he’ll still be fully expecting his taxpayers funded 300/400k salary plus expenses plus gold plated politicians pensions, thank you very much!
@Joan Farrell: neither Leo or Micheal forced farmers to overstock. That was their decision. Maybe a few lessons will be learned this year
Exceptional cold and long winter for livestock ….Must be close to coldest winter since 1963….
@pc_comments:
Don’t worry, Joe will be along soon to explain it all to us.
It’s all to do with sunspots, microwaves and lizard people.
Certain to be.
Funny how few weeks ago no one could say bad word about farmers when they pulling them through snow or making sure the milk still got to the creamery
@Alan Carthy: The south Dublin ffuuudies dont live in the real world.
Meanwhile the housing crisis….
@Rosie Murray: What’s that got to do with this farming issue?
@Jack Jackson: nothing, it’s a topical issue and she just wants the thumbs up… why wont you give her the thumbs up Jack. Go on…..
@Rosie Murray: it’s not to be made light of, its a serious situation in its own right. I’m not a farmer but I do sympathise.. I have been called a cow in the past tho.. maybe that’s where my connection lies.
@Rosie Murray: Meanwhile people want milk, beef, lamb etc.
@Rosie Murray: Meanwhile contact DCC & ask how much they’re planning to spend on the Clontarf to Dublin route Part 8.
@Maggie O’Connor: it’s the second time in 5 years that farmers had to be “bailed” out … if they can’t ensure adequate feed for their animals then they need to either reduce their stock levels or sell up.
They have to bear mist of the responsibility if they kept hold of stock that they couldn’t feed.
@Cindy Crawford: Correction. Cycle route.
@Cindy Crawford: What you smoking there Pal? It’s messing with your brain!
@Ian Kavanagh: You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. I hope fuch you’re a troll and not an example of a new kind of idiot. Or are people in Ireland really this out of touch with how agriculture works?
@Dotty Dunleary: No honey, there’s nothing messing with my brain. It was reported on Q102 this morning. It’s in the millions. Can’t remember how many, but it’s astonomical.
@Steve O’Connor: I’m from a farming background .. but hey you just label people idiots.
Fabulous column in today’s examiner outlining how farmers bear mother of the responsibility here. They would have known own back in December or earlier ( if unable to rake a second cut ) that they didn’t have enough fodder … but they decided to keep stock they they couldn’t feed … and now expect a bail out.
And I’m the idiot!!!!!!
@Cindy Crawford: Roads cost money!?
@Dotty Dunleary: Sorry, I meant Clontarf to the city. I’m aware Clontarf is in Dublin.
@Ian Kavanagh: they are paying for it themselves so what’s the issue?
@Cindy Crawford: This article is about farm fodder?
@Ian Kavanagh: so they are supposed to sell their livestock in December because of potential bad weather in March??? Hmmm
@Dotty Dunleary: It’s a cycle track.
@Dotty Dunleary: Tell that to Rosie Murray who made it about the homeless.
@Ian Kavanagh: think of that the next time your snowed in or complaint there’s no milk or bread
@Alan Carthy: farmers who can’t feed animals primarily through their own bad planning will not produce the milk or meat that I want … hell if you need to.import hay and sillage, we may as well import the milk and beef.
@t: subsidised fodder.. they are paying for SUBSIDISED fodder.
Educate yourself first please.
@Jimmy: Correct Jimmy, many knew in December that they didn’t have enough fodder and we’ll… let animals suffer.
This is the 3rd time in 5 years that farmers have done this in the west / northwest …clearly over stocked or just not up to the job.
@Ian Kavanagh:
Did a farmer take your football in school Ian?
@Cindy Crawford: Two crazy off topic comments don’t make a right?
The over stocking issue must be addressed as part of the overall problem.
The fodder crisis is a direct result of lower solar activity. If this low level activity continues for the next 6 months there will be a much bigger crisis. To keep an eye on solar activity you can go to http://www.spaceweather.com/
@Joe Caulfield: I don’t know who’s worse, you or Gerald Kelleher. You seem to think that solar activity is the sole factor in weather. Gerald, meanwhile, thinks the sole factor in weather is the Earth’s motions (orbit, sidereal rotation, etc.). Why both of you ignore things such as atmospheric moisture content, the gases that make up the atmosphere (Gerald believes it can rain with no gas or moisture in an atmosphere!!!), etc. is simply staggering.
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: Whats worse is the D-4 brie munchers trying to shut down farming based on a theory. I know for a fact that there is a direct relationship between the sun and outside air temperature. I also know there is a direct relationship between temperature and grass growth.
My grandfather was a farmer and I can assure you if some fuuudie from south Dublin came down and told him how to run his farm they’d be gutted for garters. Gerald can speak for himself.
@Joe Caulfield: As someone involved in horticulture and who grew up on a dairy farm, I too know that there is a link between the Sun and the climate. My problem is that you seem to think it’s the only link (either that or you’re very poor at communication).
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: Solar activity is the dominate force in climate. Yes there are other factors such as cloud cover/deflection and cosmic rays.I hope this leaves you problem free.
@Joe Caulfield: if solar activity was the dominant force, then the Moon and Earth would have near identical climates. They receive roughly the same levels of solar activity as each other. The dominant force is actually atmospheric composition (presence or lack thereof, gases, density, etc.). Earth’s atmosphere is quite dense (compared to, say, Mars, Pluto, the Moon, etc.) with nitrogen and oxygen as two of the primary constituents. The Moon’s atmosphere is extremely thin (negligible at c. 0.3 nPa) and consists of sodium and potassium among other gases. It’s not that I necessarily have a problem. It’s just that I hate when people spew out as fact something they have not studied which, obviously, you haven’t. You just found something you thought interesting and then developed an obsession.
@Joe Caulfield: The sun has affected your brain I think Joe. Every five minutes you post the same speel about sun spots. Go and have a lie down in a dark room!
@Joe Caulfield: a much simpler explanation is, farmers are simply allowing too many animals to breed..
How come UK with same or worse weather has surplus stocks to sell but not here?
@Margaret Rogers: We are the UK;s farm. The UK is an urban/suburban country. Its in their best interest to help us with this low level of solar activity. Everyone should check out Piers Corbyn. He is Jeremy Corbyns brother.
@Margaret Rogers: the UK summer was much better than ours, so more hay/silage was made, and cattle didn’t need to be housed as early as here.
@Joe Caulfield:
solar solar solar solar sunspots
solar solar solar solar sunspots
solar solar solar solar sunspots
1 2 they’re coming for you.
Joe you are boring the life out of everyone with the same comment for every article like a stick record!
For a lot of farmers up the country winter started in August- September. If I were farming land like that I’d shut the gate and walk away not worth the misery in a bad year.
@ianglen:
That’s why so much land the likes of Leitrim is been planted but that causes it’s own problems
You know what we should do? Expand the dairy industry!!! #cattlebubble #ClimateChange
@Theresa O’Donohoe: No proven link between climate change and past cold winter….
@Theresa O’Donohoe:
As someone who left farming years ago I have to agree with you on that and not necessarily anything to do with climate change.
Any industry that expands at that speed and expense is ripe for a bubble and then a burst.
Among young farmers there is realisation that the “cheque in the post” will not last forever and dairying is seen as the only way forward and there seems a desperation to get in big enough to survive.
Problem is an established dairy farmer can go from say 100 cows to 200 cows a lot cheaper than someone goes from 0 to 100. Same as any business.
Young people are spending €400-500k over and above land costs to establish themselves in a very volatile business which will lead to misery for some.
@P.J. Nolan: I said it once and I said it a hundred times. Getting rid of the milk quotas will lead to farmers leveraging up to massive farms, there will be a glut of milk and the price will tank leaving them high and dry. Not to mention the extra fodder all these extra cows need over the Winter!
@Sean:
Agree to a point Sean but the milk quota system was too restricted.
The milk market need to be opened up and there is room for expansion but slowly, not the all or nothing plunge we are seeing at the moment.
I heard on an interview this morning that farmers had been warning of this crisis since the end of the summer. Surely that was enough time for them to stock up on feed if they knew what was coming down the track?
This isn’t the first time this has happened either.
@Derek Lyster: 100% agree.
@Derek Lyster:
Yes they knew in August they MIGHT have a problem IF they had particularly cold winter and IF we had a cold wet spring.
It took all four problems in the one year (very rare but seems more frequent recently) to create a crisis. If any one of those problems hadn’t happened……
@P.J. Nolan: Is that like when you think it might rain and you wear a raincoat or carry an umbrella just in case? Just because it is a might or a maybe doesn’t mean you should overlook the risk entirely.
@P.J. Nolan: Surely they should prepare for this every year?
@Sean:
Silly comment Sean, it’s a relative risk, unless you bring a radiation suit which you every day, do you??
@Derek Lyster: they try to but many haven’t been able to access fields with machinery since last July.
@Derek Lyster:
They did as much as possible but if the feed couldn’t be saves last autumn there was limited supplies to prepare with.
As I said what happened in the autumn was a problem but if we had a normal spring everything would be fine even still if the weather improved tomorrow a lot of cattle would be out within a week or 10 days.
Back in 2010 when we had two heavy snow events within 10 months everyone said this was going to be the norm and we would all need snow ploughs etc. Anyone who bought one watched it lay idle for 8 years.
Do people expect farmers to keep 50% more feed than necessary costing thousands of euros so that 9 years out of 10 he can just dump it because he didn’t need it?
Poor planning and lots of whingeing by the usual shower of whingers. Any chance of a dig out Mr local TD.
Too wet = whinge
Too Dry = whinge
Too cold = whinge
Too early = whinge
Too late = whinge
Flood in the top field = whinge
BMW and Mercedes raise prices = whinge (Me grant is too small I wont be able to afford leather seats and the ash tray) Tractor rally to the big smoke’ll fix it.
Reform of Leaving Cert to Continuous assessment = Strike
Seriously though the vast majority of farmers are hard working switched on realists. Some got themselves into trouble by taking a chance.
The whingers and moaners in this country in all sectors love manufacturing a crisis.
@SteoG:
When the local farmer dug people out of the snow recently = not whinge?
@P.J. Nolan: exactly PJ, it was a thankless exercise for most.
@P.J. Nolan: You got me there ;-) Honestly I have nothing but respect for farmers and all the other hard grafters out there. My real beef is with the politicos and leeches in the so called associations who look to make a massive drama out of everything. And I don’t just mean the farming organisations.
@SteoG:
Fair enough I would also acknowledge that farmers have in the past cried fowl too often and yes they will have to take a long hard look at stocking rates in some instances but there are people and animals in dire trouble at the moment.
Im an employer- the weather has affected my business- why shouldn’t I receive help from the government?
@Oliver Francis:
Do you have large numbers of animals that are threatened with starvation?
If you do you have every right to ask for help.
@P.J. Nolan
Their animals – that’s the industry they’re in – why should the taxpayer bail them out !
@Oliver Francis:
So let them starve it is then.
The farmers should cop themselves on and start voting for either ff or fg the other parties that have been running the country for decades don’t care about the farmers. It must be a kick in the bo.llox for farmers that it’s the hi-tec crowd their beloved ff/fg care about now very hard to have any sympathy.
have your say