Sinn Féin has said that the Government must now prepare for a fodder crisis, in which additional feed cannot be sourced from England or the continent.

The call comes as the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) has warned that 2018-style fodder import subsidies must be brought forward, as it is “almost certain that the fodder shortage will be worse than that experienced in 2018”.

Sinn Féin’s agriculture spokesperson Martin Kenny TD said that farmers in many parts of the country, particularly in the southeast, are feeding out their first-cut silage without any grass left to make a second cut.

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“Others are having to supplement with concentrates, which is a significant expense for this time of the year,” Kenny added.

The Sinn Féin TD called on Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon “to act and be prepared for a fodder crisis next spring”.

“I want to echo the calls of the IFA to reconvene the National Fodder and Food Security Committee with immediate effect,” he said.

“This is not just an issue for Irish farmers; it is an issue for farmers in England and right across Europe. We cannot depend on our neighbours in England or Europe to help us out with fodder, as they simply don’t have any to spare.

High-protein meal

“The minister and his department need to establish how much fodder there is already in the country and where we can source more, if needed.

“While the majority of high-protein meal comes from South America, we do get about 25% of feed from the EU.

“This may not be possible this year, as due to the hot weather, harvest yields are down and imported feed is likely to be more expensive than previous years.”

Kenny warned that if significant rainfall does not come quick, “farmers are going to have a very low yield for a second-cut of silage or hay and they are going to be in real trouble come next spring.”