Laois raises the banner for Clare as IFA sets up emergency fodder initiative

Laois farmers will raise the banner for the counterparts in Clare as the farming community comes together to tackle the shortage of feed for cattle.

IFA President, Joe Healy, has announced an emergency fodder initiative, where IFA will mobilise its national county and branch network to support those farmers in most difficulty.  

Counties have been twinned with a view to identifying farmers who are in a position to contribute feed, to be transported to areas in need. 

“It is disappointing that the Minister has to date failed to support a meal voucher system which we strongly believe would have been the best and most efficient solution. We are now seeking a commitment from the Minister to fund the cost of transporting the fodder to the areas in need as part of this interim initiative,” he said.

The IFA initiative is designed to provide fodder for those in dire need in the coming weeks to get them over Christmas and the New Year. 

County Chairperson and branch officers in areas of the country not affected to the same extent with the fodder crisis will identify farmers who are prepared to provide even small amounts of feed at a reasonable agreed fixed price.

The counties chairs in the affected counties met with Minister Creed and attended the recent fodder action meeting in Sligo, but there has yet to be a tangible outcome to these meetings. 

The National Council of IFA put the plan in place yesterday.  IFA officers in the areas most affected counties will work closely with Teagasc and the local DVO to identify the farmers currently in critical need of fodder

County Chairpersons in counties/regions with feed to contribute will link up the County Chairperson in the areas requiring feed urgently to organise delivery and distribution of the fodder to those farmers currently in urgent need (See list below).

IFA County Executives fodder match-ups

Donor county                                                            Receiving county

Carlow/Wicklow                                                               Donegal South

Wexford                                                                          Leitrim

Tipperary South                                                              Donegal North

Tipperary North                                                                Sligo

Waterford                                                                        Limerick

Kilkenny                                                                          Cavan

Kildare                                                                            Longford

Laois                                                                              Clare

Offaly                                                                             Mayo

Cork North                                                                      West Cork/Kerry

Cork Central                                                                    Galway

Meath                                                                             Monaghan

Dublin/Westmeath/Louth                                                  Roscommon