A subsidy scheme to pay for the transport of fodder to farmers in need due to the persistent bad weather has been announced by the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue.
The scheme will cover the cost of transport of animal feed over distances above 75km.
It will operate through co-ops and will see fodder supplies moving from areas where there is excess to areas where there is a shortage.
The minister announced the scheme during a meeting of the National Fodder and Food Security Committee this morning.
The committee heard that the areas most affected by fodder shortages are in the south and south east where rainfall has been heaviest, including in counties Kerry, Cork, Wexford and Waterford.
There was no specific supports announced for the tillage sector.
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Minister McConalgoue said, however, that he was not ruling anything out as it was a very trying time for the tillage sector and he does not underestimate the pressure that was there.
The meeting heard how the weather situation continues to cause huge difficulties for farmers in different sectors.
Met Éireann's Paul Moore told the meeting that Ireland has already had rainfall this year equivalent to what would be expected by July, and that rainfall levels exceeded average amounts in seven of the last ten months.
Forecaster Eoin Sherlock said that the Atlantic remains in control of our weather with further rainfall over the next week and a half, after which high pressure will bring some relief and more settled weather.
However the meeting heard that even when the rain stops, it will take two weeks for the ground to dry sufficiently for tillage operations to get under way.
The farm advisory service, Teagasc, has opened telephone advice lines for farmers to help deal with any fodder shortages.
The new telephone helplines will operate six days a week from 9am until 9pm and will offer farmers advice on managing through the current difficult period.
The grassland helpline number is 059 9183155 and the crop helpline number is 059 9183533.
Farmers can also leave messages if they cannot get through and will get a call back.
