Irish farmers warn of fodder pressure after prolonged dry spell

The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) has called for the National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) to meet urgently to assess animal feed supplies following prolonged hot and dry weather.

The IFA said the lack of rainfall in parts of the country could force farmers to use winter fodder stocks earlier than expected.

IFA President Francie Gorman agreed with the Department of Agriculture that there was currently no nationwide fodder shortage but said some areas were already experiencing difficulties.

"We've had very little rain in some parts of the country for probably up to two months and there is an issue in certain parts of the country," he told RTE's Morning Ireland.

He said drystock farms were facing rising costs, while tillage farmers had endured a difficult harvest.

"We do need a proper assessment done and we need that to be publicized," he said.

Gorman said fodder might need to be moved between regions, adding that the cost of buying feed was a major concern for some farmers.

He also urged the government to support a European Commission fertilizer action plan aimed at easing financial pressure on farms.

"That needs to be supported to the maximum co-funding level to give that buffer of cashflow on farms because some farmers are in a position where to be able to purchase and afford that fodder is an issue," he said.

Warning that conditions had deteriorated in recent weeks, Gorman said: "If you were asking me three weeks ago what the situation was, I would say we're not in a really dire situation yet, but today that has changed."

He urged the committee to meet "straight away" to prevent farmers from facing more serious feed shortages in the autumn.