Creed announces fodder transport support measure

THE Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, has announced the introduction of a fodder transport support measure to provide additional assistance to livestock farmers in the west/northwest most severely affected by the prolonged wet weather last autumn.

In many of these cases, the inability to conserve fodder was compounded by the need to house livestock much earlier than normal owing the very poor ground conditions.

Launching the measure at an ICOS event, the minister acknowledged that a key issue to resolve was the cost of transporting fodder between those areas where it is plentiful and those where it is scarce.

A financial contribution is being provided to offset transport costs of hay, silage and straw for feeding, where this involves a distance of more than 100km, to areas of the west and northwest most affected.

Farmers, who have an identified fodder shortage, having completed a fodder budgeting exercise with their agricultural advisor, will be eligible to receive a financial contribution towards offsetting the costs of transport of fodder. Financial assistance under the fodder transport support measure is payable in accordance with Commission Regulation (EU) No 1408/2013 on de minimis aid in the agricultural production sector.

Minister Creed went on to stress that in addressing the challenges of last autumn, the early issue of farm payments, together with those under the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme, injected over €1.3 billion into the Irish rural economy by the end of last year and are providing a very welcome boost for Irish farm families and will help to finance additional fodder purchase where necessary. The minister also acknowledged the effective contribution of the fodder taskforce he convened last December in ensuring a coordinated response to the fodder problem across all the main stakeholders, including Teagasc, feed merchants, co-ops, banking and the farming bodies.

He stated: “As fodder is traded between farms on a regular basis, it is essential that the support measure being announced today is targeted at those who most need it and does not impact on the normal functioning of the market for fodder. This is now the case and I am grateful that the co-op structure is supporting the practical implementation of this measure.”