asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make more intensive efforts to publicise the food value of grass silage as distinct from hay, the value of self-feed silage units in farm economy, and the grants and loans available for their construction by farmers.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Silage Unit Grants.
20.
My Department and the county committees of agriculture have been organising an annual campaign for a number of years to encourage farmers to make silage. This campaign includes advice given on farms, lectures, meetings, press articles, demonstrations, advertisements in national and local papers, silage making competitions, distribution of illustrated leaflets, TV coverage, etc. In addition, attention has been drawn to the generous State grants provided for the erection of silos and self-feed layouts, as well as for the purchase of forage harvesters.
That this campaign has been meeting with success is shown by returns that the total amount of silage increased from about 427,000 tons in 1963 to about 942,000 tons in 1965 and to an estimated 1,300,000 tons in 1966.
It is my intention to have the campaign pursued with vigour and that every opportunity will be availed of to publicise the value of grass silage in the farm economy.