Connolly calls for emergency funding for farmers

A Claremorris-based Fine Gael councillor has said that the wet spring could affect food prices in the supermarkets.

Speaking to The Mayo News, Cllr Tom Connolly said that famers were under serious financial pressure due to the exceptionally wet spring.

Cllr Connolly has written to the Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, calling for him to authorise emergency payments for farmers who have run out animal feed.

“Farmers have been unable to let cattle out on the land, due to the amount of rain that has fallen in March and early April.” Cllr Connolly said.

“In many cases, farmers had run out of animal feed, and had to buy meal and nuts, to keep their cattle alive. This has serious consequences for these farmers and for consumers. In an industry with already tight profit margins, any additional expenditure on feedstuff, is a direct cost to these farmers.”

Cllr Connolly said that, in the absence of silage, farmers had to take action.

He said that if it was exceptionally wet or cold during the winter period it would be no problem, because farmers have planned for this by keeping cattle house with adequate silage.

However, the silage is gone by mid-March, when cattle are normally released onto grass.

“Margins are tight in farming, even when the weather is good,” Cllr Connolly said.

“But when you have exceptional weather, like we have had up to now, you have to take exceptional action. Farming is the backbone of the Irish economy, and impacts the lives of all of our citizens. Farming is essentially food production, and we are lucky that we have such healthy produce on our supermarket shelves, which comes directly or indirectly from the land.

“If farmers don’t get support, the impact of the wet spring will have consequences for re-investment in the industry – as farmers will have less money to spend – or will cause food prices in the shops to rise. This will affect everyone.”

Cllr Connolly is contesting the local elections in June, in the six-seat Claremorris area, where Fine Gael won four of the six seats in the area in 2019.

They are defending three seats this time around as Cllr Patsy O’Brien from Robeen, who was elected on the Fine Gael ticket the last time, is contesting as an Independent.