I would like to give the Deputy a full background and account of some of the actions and measures I have put in place to meet the challenges of recent weather events. Following the fodder difficulties of last Winter and Spring I formed a representative group chaired by Teagasc, including stakeholders such as Co-ops, banks, farm bodies, amongst others, to co-ordinate advisory messages to farmers around replenishing depleted stocks of fodder. I requested the group to co-ordinate advice on managing grazing and fodder conservation through the subsequent extended period of extraordinarily dry weather.
Following a meeting with Commissioner Hogan I secured agreement to pay higher advance payments this autumn. As a result, advances for Pillar 1 and 2 payments will be increased to 70% and 85% respectively, resulting in €260 million in additional cash flow for farmers at a vital time of the year.
Furthermore on the 3rd August last I announced a €2.75 million Fodder Production Incentive for Tillage Farmers to encourage tillage growers to actively engage in the fodder market. This additional funding commitment aims to incentivise a doubling of the area currently under catch crops.
On the 22nd August I announced a €4.25 million Fodder Import Support Measure for Autumn 2018. The measure seeks to reduce the cost to farmers of imported forage, that is: hay, silage, haylage, alfalfa and others from outside the island of Ireland. While the measure will operate through the Co-operatives/registered importers, the actual beneficiaries will be farmers who need supplies of fodder.
As the recent weather events have shown, farmers require access to measures that improve their capacity to respond to these occurrences and in this connection I have asked my officials, in the context of the upcoming CAP reform, to examine all available risk management tools to determine which of these may be most appropriate to the farming sector.
I am confident that the range of measures introduced by me to date, taken together and targeted at producing as much fodder as possible from our own land, provide the most effective response to a fodder shortfall and I have no plans to introduce a subsidy for a high-fibre concentrate feed. I can also assure you that I will continue to closely monitor and engage on this significant challenge during this difficult period.
