IFA president Joe Healy has called on the government to implement a package of measures to support farmers, particularly tillage farmers, in areas of the country hit by difficult weather conditions.
Healy and the IFA has called for on the government to implement a five point plan to help address the difficult situation on many farms this autumn.
Healy's demands include:
- A crisis aid package for tillage farmers who have suffered serious crop losses
- A fodder Scheme for farmers unable to save enough hay or silage
- A relaxation of the qualifying criteria for the Farm Assist programme
- An extension of the slurry spreading deadline
- And prompt and on time payment of all farm schemes this year
All across the country, many tillage farmers are facing into the reality of heavy crop losses following a very difficult spell of weather around harvest time preventing them from harvesting crops this year.
Similarly, in parts of the west and north west many farmers have been unable to save the required amounts of fodder to see them through the winter period and Healy is calling for a fodder scheme to address this shortfall.
The IFA says it has asked Teagasc to carry out an assessment of the fodder deficit among farmers affected and also to ascertain the level of crop losses suffered by some tillage farmers this year.
Healy said the Department of Agriculture must deliver all scheme payments on time this October as it is critically important farmers receive payments on time this year to tackle the severe cashflow issues on many farms.
“The harsh reality on almost all farms this year is that the direct payment is the only net income coming into the family household from farming,” said Healy.
Source - http://www.farmersjournal.ie
