This article is from page 22 of the 2013-04-23 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 22 JPG
HUNDREDS of Clare farmers face the possibility of a total wipe-out as the fodder crisis threatens to bring the county’s farmers to their knees.
More than 200 farmers attended an emergency meeting organised by Fianna Fail in Ennis on Friday, where the full extent of the fodder crisis in the county became apparent. Scores of farmers across Clare have completely exhausted their stock of fodder, with many also unable to get credit from banks to buy feed.
With many Clare farmers already at breaking point it looks likely to be between two and four weeks before any significant grass growth will take place to alleviate the shortage.
Clare IFA last week distributed 12,000 bales of hay and roughly 50 tonnes of silage to animal welfare hardship cases in the county.
“Many farmers face running out of fodder.
“There is talk of emergency funding but that isn’t going to be of any help for the people who don’t have fodder to get through the next few weeks,” said Clare IFA chairperson, Andrew Dundas.
According to Clare ICMSA, hundreds of Clare farmers have already spent their entire Single Farm Payment (SFP) in the first three months of the year.
“People have gone right through their Single Farm Payment – it’s all used up. I know some farmers in Clare have gone to the bank looking for money for feed and have been turned down. They are under serious financial trouble,” said Clare ICMSA chairperson Martin McMahon.
“There is no way that farmers are going to be able to survive until next year’s SFP is made available – they just won’t be able to pay their bills, it is as simple as that.”
According to the Clare United Farmers Association (UFA), animals are beginning to starve to death on some Clare farms.
“We are dealing with one Clare farmer at the moment who has 30 friesian cattle – he has no feed, no money left to buy feed and no chance of getting finance to buy feed. He advertised these cattle for sale and he was offered € 200 a piece for them – which is maybe half what he would have got last year.
“People are trying to take advantage of the situation,” said Joe Corbett of the Clare UFA.
“This is this man’s way of making a living. He can’t afford to keep these animals because he has no money to buy feed for them and he can’t afford to sell them at the price he is being offered. He has to get help. People’s backs are to the wall and all they want to do is keep their animals alive.”
Farmers can contact the Teagasc help line on 091-845852.