Are working harder for less?

can sell our products cheaper and cheaper. Livestock farmers and tillage farmers have already seen this and the consequences for them are unsustainable low incomes.

At least the dairy sector is profitable and this allows dairy farmers to overcome a weather crisis. Assuming, of course, that 2018 was a once-off.

But for many farmers, the poor income from farming gives absolutely no leeway for extreme weather events.

So the combination of working harder and harder for less and less is undoubtedly contributing to increased levels of stress on farmers and their families. In a year like 2018, I am concerned there will be many farmers who just cannot cope.

That’s why, on September 7, ICSA announced that it is setting up a Fodder Crisis Family Support Fund.

We will be putting some of the membership income into this and we will also fundraise to help farmers in trouble. This is not a fund to buy fodder or feeds, however.

The idea is to reach out to farmers who cannot cope. ICSA staff and officers will be available to talk to families, to lend support and to examine what help those families need.

The help that such families need will vary. Some will need help to draw up a farm plan to find solutions to fodder shortages. Others will need counselling and medical assistance with their mental health.

ICSA can’t provide this but it can help to point people in the right direction. Our intention is to do everything we can to help people get the help they need and to ensure that no family that comes to us is left without a strategy to cope.

Many farmers will not need this because they are already clients of Teagasc or other advisors, or participants in a discussion group and so they have plans in place.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t people out there in a much more anxious state who need support and someone to talk to.

OUR INTENTION IS TO DO ALL WE CAN TO HELP PEOPLE GET THE HELP THEY NEED AND TO ENSURE NO FAMILY IS LEFT WITHOUT A STRATEGY TO COPE