NW Fodder crisis worsening ‘daily’
Farmers in the North West urgently need meal vouchers to halt the fodder crisis which is “deteriorating on a daily basis.”
That’s according to the National President of The Irish Natura & Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) Colm O’Donnell, speaking at a protest in Drumshanbo yesterday (Monday).
Farmers drove through snowfilled rural roads to gather outside the Department of Agriculture offices in Drumshambo to vent their anger and demand meal vouchers for farmers experiencing fodder shortages.
O’Donnell read out a letter which called on the Minister to reconvene the fodder action group to address the many inconsistencies and problems with the package designed by his Department and the co-operatives.
“This package was not what was proposed by the stakeholders action group,” said the farm leader.
“To give credibility and confidence back to the forum set up by Minister Creed he must now call those stakeholders back to adjust elements of the package to make it workable for affected farmers,” he told protestors.
While the Minister did deliver a transport subsidy, “its restrictive nature has ensured it will not deliver for most farmers,” said O’Donnell.
O’Donnell said last month’s transport subsidy “is a piecemeal attempt to sort a crisis that is deteriorating on a daily basis.”
Apart from meal vouchers, the INHFA is looking for the following:
•Licenced hauliers who traditionally source quality fodder to be involved in the transport subsidy scheme.
•The 100km zone to source fodder to be changed.
•Local Agri stores to be added to the scheme
•Square bales of hay and straw to be included in the scheme because farmers with environmental restrictions on their farms they can only feed square bales to out-wintered livestock.
•The DAFM must cover the cost of fodder assessment by approved advisors.