In this article, the Irish Natura & Hill Farmers’ Association (INHFA) national vice-president, Micheal McDonnell, calls on the DAFM to act immediately to protect the sheep industry’s future.
I am calling on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to take swift and decisive action to save the sheep sector from further decline.
There is a need for the DAFM to implement a meaningful ewe top-up package to provide the necessary financial lifeline to our farmers.
It is imperative that we safeguard the livelihoods of those dedicated farmers who contribute significantly to Ireland’s agricultural Output and the sustainability of our rural communities.
With the week-on-week fall in price the sector is in a dire position, a scenario that we anticipated last spring when we earnestly called upon the Minister for Agriculture to implement a meaningful payment per ewe for the sheep sector.
ANC
Unfortunately, the situation will also be compounded by the delayed payment of Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) Scheme which will impact cash flow and have a knock-on effect on the sale of store lambs and breeding ewe sales particularly for hill sheep.
The pressure weighing down on the store lamb price has been further exacerbated by the fact that many traditional tillage farmers, who were crucial in the lamb store market, are no longer engaged in the practice.
This shift in behaviour is primarily attributed to the new Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC) rules for tillage farmers, which have discouraged them from planting crops for sheep.
This change in practice is having a profound and alarming impact on the sheep sector and we are calling on the minister to review and apply amendments to have this situation reversed.
Market and input prices
This ongoing fall in the market price comes on the heels of the sheep sector grappling with increased costs, including those associated with shearing, while simultaneously facing the predicament of no market for wool.
In addition to this, the past year has witnessed rising expenses related to feed, fertiliser, and veterinary products, all of which have added to the precarious state the sector now finds itself in.
I am demanding action as the sheep sector is at a critical juncture, and without immediate intervention, its future is uncertain.
This is why we are calling on the government to act immediately and ensure the survival of this vital industry.
Previous article from the INHFA: Opinion: Need to develop vets that are willing to calf cows and lamb sheep
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