Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 June 2022
323. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his proposals to support farmers who are not in a position to avail of his recently announced fodder support scheme and have traditionally bought in their animal feed requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35142/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy may be aware that I established the National Fodder and Food Security Committee in March. I tasked the Committee with preparing a multi-sectoral response to identify those issues that will arise for feed, fodder, fertiliser and other inputs, and to develop contingency plans and advice to assist farmers in managing their farm enterprises.
Central at that time was the announcement of the targeted intervention package which identified three key pillars aimed at supporting Irish families arising both from events in Ukraine and wider global price volatility. The package sought to incentivise the planting of additional tillage crops through the Tillage Incentive Scheme and introduced supports to encourage farmers to grow protein crops in 2022. Supporting domestic production of tillage and protein crops is a key mechanism in reducing Ireland’s reliance on imported feed materials.
The Package also included a Multi-Species Sward Initiative and a Red Clover Silage Measure to promote environmentally sustainable methods of farming, and thereby reduce nitrogen fertiliser usage, while maintaining forage yield.
I have also recently launched a €56 million Fodder Support Scheme. This Scheme aims to incentivise farmers, in particular drystock farmers, to grow more fodder (silage and/or hay) for the coming winter/spring. The Scheme will have a payment rate of up to €100 per hectare and I hope there will be strong uptake from farmers. This Scheme, by helping to grow and conserve more fodder, will also help those farmers who purchase all their requirements by increasing the availability of fodder.
The National Fodder and Food Security Committee will continue to monitor the situation, provide advice to farmers and advise me in the coming months on issues relating to the security of supply of fodder for the coming winter.
