Media Release

ICOS Marts Chairman Calls for Fodder Subsidy Scheme to be extended to Livestock Marts

Michael Spellman, chairman of the ICOS Marts Committee has called on Minister Coveney to immediately extend the subsidised transport scheme for fodder to livestock marts.

Marts, he said, have been active in the sourcing and procurement of forage for their customers for some time now and it made no sense to exclude them from the Scheme.

In addition to sourcing fodder in the UK, good quality French hay is currently available at €110 per tonne and some live shippers of young calves can readily access this forage for Irish farmers, but are currently being excluded from the subsidised transport scheme, he said.

Mr Spellman pointed out that not all farmers are members or customers of dairy co-operatives. Every county in Ireland has several livestock marts, many of which had taken the initiative to source fodder at a cost to themselves.

He called on the Minister to immediately extend this Scheme to Livestock Marts, as farmers urgently require all available sources of fodder at this time.

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For more information: Seamus O’Donohoe, ICOS CEO – 087 2867349 or seamus.odonohoe@icos.ie

Media Information:  Tim Kinsella, MKC Communications, 086 813 7512