asked the Minister for Agriculture if he has received a resolution from the committee of Killeshandra Co-operative Agricultural and Dairy Society, Limited, County Cavan, dealing with the danger to the dairy industry consequent on the bad summer and harvest weather; and, if so, if he will state the terms of the resolution, and what action he proposes to take in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Harvest Conditions.
I have received no resolution from the committee of the Killeshandra Co-operative Agricultural and Dairy Society, Limited, of the kind referred to by the Deputy, but I have received a letter mentioning the problems arising out of the bad harvest weather we have had, and to which I sent an answer some days ago.
asked the Minister for Agriculture whether, in view of the very bad prospects for the provision of fodder for our high cattle population in the coming winter and spring owing to the disastrous season for haymaking and the fact that it appears to be practically impossible for farmers to dispose of their store cattle at present, and in order to recompense landowners for the serious loss of fertility in their soil caused by intensive cropping during the emergency without a sufficiency of farmyard manure and with practically no fertilisers, he will now extend the land rehabilitation project to all land whether it requires reclamation or not, by the provision, with retrospective effect from 1st September, 1950, of fertilisers and lime at half price with a view to encouraging farmers to apply it to their grass lands and so provide early grass next spring.
The land rehabilitation project has been extended to lands which do not need specific reclamation works but are deficient in lime, phosphate and potash. Under Part IV of the project, occupiers of land may have their lands tested for a fee of 1/-per acre and may obtain all the lime, phosphates and potash their lands need on payment of 10 per cent. of the cost in cash and the balance by addition to their land purchase annuities.