The Irish Farmers' Association has called for the immediate extension of the Transport Subsidy Scheme to deal with the fodder crisis.
Representatives were speaking in Co Galway, where some of the thousands of tonnes of imported fodder were being distributed to farms.
The fodder was brought into the country in the past few days by co-ops and farm groups in an attempt to offset the shortage of fodder in feeding livestock.
The Transport Subsidy Scheme is due to end shortly.
