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BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS this summer are leaving farmers distressed – and a helpline should be set up to offer them advice, Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Agriculture, Éamon Ó Cuív TD has said.
Poor weather conditions
He has called on Minister Simon Coveney to direct his department and Teagasc to immediately set up a helpline for the farmers who are in distress due to the poor weather conditions this summer.
Deputy Ó Cuív said that every day he is contacted by farmers and farm organisations “concerned about the effect the terrible summer is having on farmers’ mental health and the need for emergency action and support”.
Farmers have failed to make any quality silage this year because of flooded fields, failed crops and farmers having to feed silage and extra concentrates in the middle of summer. Many farmers have been forced to house their cattle for long periods with all the associated costs. Unfortunately, farmers are also facing the double whammy of huge increases in the costs of concentrates and diesel. Many of them are at breaking point and unfortunately some are gone beyond breaking point.
He said it has been “a very cruel summer for thousands of farmers throughout the country, especially those in the south”.
The constant rain has meant that farmers also face penalties and fines under various schemes for non-compliance due to the weather. No instruction has been given to inspectors to take the weather into account in deciding compliance with agricultural schemes.
Adapt
Deputy Ó Cuív said that officials from the Department of Agriculture and Teagasc “need to adapt to the huge problems facing farmers and act accordingly”.
He suggested that the Minister needs to ensure inspectors from his Department and officials from Teagasc are directed to drop their routine work and travel the country to assess damage from the weather, and should meet with farmers.
A special helpline dedicated to farmers is also something that needs to be provided. Many farmers are in severe distress about the extent of what has happened this summer, along with cuts to Disadvantaged Area Scheme (DAS) and AEOS.
There was an ad recently in the Farmer’s Journal reminding farmers to reseed. As one farmer said in frustration, “the only way of reseeding in many parts of the south would be by helicopter”, as the land is soaked.
The helpline should offer emotional support and advice on the extreme effects this bad weather is having on farmers and their families, said the TD.
Deputy Ó Cuív added that the Minister should also draw up a series of measures to deal with the crisis and announce them immediately to give reassurance and hope to the farming community
Irish Farmers’ Association
IFA Farm Family Chair Margaret Healy believes the bad weather this summer has increased stress levels among farmers and heightened the risk of accidents.
She said:
Farm work is being carried out in adverse conditions and farmers are rushing to get certain jobs done when rain gives way to dry spells. IFA is urging farmers to maintain a high level of vigilance on farm safety at all times to minimise the risk of accidents.
The IFA is promoting a ‘Think Safety-Farm Safely’ campaign throughout the country, which is focused on the awareness, promotion and education of farm safety. The IFA Farm Safety leaflet is available on www.IFA.ie.
In July, the IFA told TheJournal.ie that all sectors of farming have had incomes affected due to higher feed costs and a lack of output.
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Agriculture is the backbone of this country and always has been. The knock on effect economically from farmers losing crops or being unable to have the animals out on the land etc effects everyone in some way or other – increased demands, price hikes, job losses and so on – I am not from a farming background but I hate people being cynical for the sake of it. This is people’s livelihoods they are talking about here. I know plenty of farming families, none of which are rich and all of which -bar one or two – are obviously struggling and in distress this year. A bit of compassion and understanding wouldn’t go astray. Helpline is a good idea I think.
well said
Agriculture is not the backbone of the country. The farms aren’t big enough to make them economic units.
It sounds like they’re getting their retaliation in first with this one! This talk of their assets and savings being means tested has them rattled!
Yep well said. And they don’t have much of a voice here as they are probably still out working.
You have to understand that farmers mainly work as a sole person day in day out at anti social hours and if it’s a whinge they want they should get it.
Us in offices etc can bounce of each other if we have a shit day and get advice etc
This is about mental health and some of you here are the dames ones that would be all pro anti suicide campaigns etc so think outside the box
well said, i know my neighbours are struggling having to put the cows back in again , feeding them the silage thats for the winter. …..so yes a bit of compassion pls !
Phone number for distressed farmers = Fine Gael head office
should help save on costs…or else another position for a director and special advisor
Well I haven’t particularly enjoyed the weather this summer either.
Who’s going to help me out?
Why bandido, has it affected your livelihood? Didn’t think so.
They say one of the first signs of madness is talking to yourself Michael.
Asking a question and then answering it yourself could be considered talking to yourself !
Yes the weather has affected me by the way.
And where do you think you’re food is coming from. Farmers milk cows its not made in Avonmore, Golden Vale etc. The flour for your bread comes from a farm, the butter you put on it comes from milk from a farm,The jam you spread on the bread comes from fruit farms not from Chivers factory. In fact the Bulmers you’d love to be drinking if we had fine weather comes from Apple farms.
Farming in this country is not just cows and silage. We pay high prices for foodstuffs in this country, due to the bad weather we face a long winter of rising food prices. Bad weather adversely affects grain prices which affects cost of rearing animals for meat which in turn affects the price of the meat on your plate.
There is helplines for everything nowadays so why not one for farmers to turn to in need of support and advice. If this helpline was to prevent one suicide amongst the farming community then it will have done its job.
Sure, all the ingredients for those products come from farms. Just not Irish farms.
Smiley will you go and educate yourself. If the agri sector in this country goes belly up we are in big trouble. FACT.
@Vinny. So what you are saying is that farmers and farms don’t need subsidies because they are viable economic units without them? Get real.
If you don’t want to help out the farmers then grand, but when you are paying 10 euros for a kilo of spuds I hope you are happy then also.
It’s going to get a lot worse. There’s a lot of silage infected with slugs.
I have heard it all now, only in Ireland.
And 53 THICK people agree with the idiot that suggested this, the country has plenty of helplines for everyone in all professions. Jokers
They ought to give Farmers a tax holiday.
Bollox! Taxi men not paying taxes is bad enough!
Are farmers the only people in the country at breaking point then? FFS half the population’s been dire straits for the last 5 years! Join the club lads!!
@Aaron broughill , get your facts right ! before you can operate a taxi you need a yearly tax compliant certificate .
And you honestly think they declare all of their taxes! Dont make me laugh mate, I know too many of them to know what they get up to!
Your also supposed to have a clean Garda record but we also know for a FACT that thats not always the way
@francis now don’t try to tell people that the taxi men pay their full entitlements. This is not a comedy forum
This is a story about farmers. Bang. Right out of the starting gate we’re on to taxi men.
Amazing…
If farmers have no money they’ll be forced to sell assets, like land, that’ll make the price of land plummet. And when things pick up their output will be greatly reduced.
That won’t be good for the economy.
It might be good for me personally. I might buy some. But generally not so good.
What are you going to do with your land?
That’s none of your business, matey.
Evil things though, very evil things.
Fair enough so!
So you got the school books already?
baby infants economics
Aidan,
You what?
With all due respect to farmers (and everyone else who is suffering from
bad times), I’d hope that any available money for a helpline would be routed to the ISPCC and/or Barnados so they didn’t have to close their doors for a week.
Children and there protection should be far more ahead on the list than any profession is
Have to kinda agree with you but the thing with the farmers is that when they have a bad year the prices go up and it becomes harder for parents to feed their kids, so this is why I think they should be helped.
The IFA must be policing this one!
@bandido: I don’t care if the weather has affected your ability to have a BBQ, I am referring to the ability to do ones job….which the weather has prevented farmers from doing….the whole point of the article.
What would the helpline be called?
………Belly acres?
Suicide prevention for farmers?
it matters when they are constantly in da news lookin for money.
No it doesn’t. Stick with the soccer i’d say. It’s sad to see so many people make a joke out of something so serious. Peoples mental health is really suffering and a farming specific helpline would be a great help for a community that gives so much to this country. If you can’t see that then you are blind and stupid.
When we’re they in the news looking for money?
Not a word about the year the farmers had last year , I suppose the cash from last year is stashed away with the rest of the loot. I have yet to meet a farmer who knows how many acres he owns .
What does it matter to a nosy person like you how much a farmer owns. How much do you earn per week? and how much savings have you?
a few, they all own a few. the top field, the meada and the set aside (aka the garden).
^ were
Food independence and food supply is extremely important and the switch to a knowledge economy should not impact the importance of that. If the government needs to subsidize farmers to ensure that we retain farms here in Ireland, so be it.
At least they are at home and been very well subsidized for years whot about all the poor bastards that have had to go away to make a living they should count their blessings
@David
I earn 532 euro a week, I have about 3000 in the credit union
I have no problem being upfront about my earnings, especially as I’m trying to get some mortgage help.
I’m not sure if your farmer colleagues would be the same
That’s your business if you want to go around shoving what you have in peoples faces but there is nothing wrong with trying to be discreet and keeping a low profile. Farming was never and never will be about the money. It’s a way of life and a great one at that.
He answered your question, and you say he’s shoving money in your face. Don’t ask the question if you not prepared to accept the answer.
@David. Farming is a business. Businesses exist to make money. If you’re not making money from farming then stop the business. Go buy a play farm. An acre or two. Don’t claim subsidies. Stop rabbiting on about lifestyle.
@smiley, you’ve just proven that you don’t and never will understand irish agriculture. If you think farming is a 9-5 job you’re gravely mistaken. Irish farming is a way of life not just a job. Typical simple minded city boy
@john. I didn’t say anything about 9-5 job. Didn’t say I am from the city. FYI have been a farmer. Made money, too. Didn’t get given any. Ever.
@ Donncha, I didn’t ask bandara any question actually. Ya, he gave some information on an anonymous forum that nobody cares about. Everybody knows that farmers are asset rich and cash poor. What is the point in knowing how much land or how many cows somebody has only to judge them as being rich or poor. i.e to begrudge them or to have pity on them. Why else do people need to know how much land one owns for example?
@Smiley It would be great to farm without subsidies and rules and regulations that often make little sense but that’s not what the market wants. If we shut down all the farms where are the hundreds and thousands of workers going to get jobs and when Kerry, Glanbia, Dairygold, etc and all the farm stores, shops, hauliers shut down and of course all the farm inspectors and machinery salespeople, etc. etc. Where are the 500,000 jobs and all the payments to the government going to come from then smiley? Agriculture is and always has been the backbone of this country and people like you should be glad to have them keeping Ireland afloat.
help=money.
@ Aaron broughill , this thread was dealing with farmers , yet for so reason you decided on a sweeping rant about taxi drivers , firstly let me explain I am tax compliant , I have never had a criminal record , have you ? You seem to know lots of taxi drivers who are on some sort of stroke , but I’m sure being the upright citizen that you are ,why do you not name and shame them , and while you are at it any time you get into a taxi be sure and tell the driver that he is not paying his taxes , and that he is a criminal ! No I don’t think you would say that! , you like to rant on the keyboard .
When times are good we don’t hear from the farmers but when times are bad they are the first to ask for a handout … Same the world over …
Damocles, who the hell is buying land in this day and age
Well if the land price drops, it’s currently a little above UK levels, and it would surely plummet in a such a scenario, then I would.
When the cash machines stop working, it will be nice to grow your own food.
Oh boy what next are they going to suck out of their thumbs? It’s becoming a joke, it’s no wonder everyone takes the piss out of the government.
You’re a joke
The farmers can go to mabs like the rest of us
Do they deal with starving animals and counselling
Sandra go and eat someone silage
Do people forget that people need homes to live in with their families?
What about the poor builder
Why would you bother, land is a terrible investment compared to shares, the Dow Jones has outperformed land prices by a factor of 3 to 1 in the US for nearly 100 years.
We need to get away from this assumption that owning land and property is a good investment – it’s not when you compare it’s historic performance to other asset classes. The fact an acre of land is €5-10k in Ireland yet can only achieve a rental of €200-500p.a. speaks volumes as to the true value of land.
Like them Facebook ones? You’d be better off going down to Paddy Power.
Funny how a certain sub-set of the Irish feel that they can’t function without having a target for their bile. If you’re not a farmer, why don’t ye try to improve the life you’re in rather than peeing over someone else’s misfortunes. The first step in getting this country to face forward is to throw out this constant smog of holier-than-thou entitlement.
If people want to help the farmers do something about climate change, at least stop with all the cheap flights every summer, easter break what have you.
OK. Let’s go back to the taxi men.
He were worrying me sheep he was! – (c) 1990 Farmer Palmer
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