Longford Leader Farming: More needed to bolster lamb trade
IFA sheep chairperson, Kevin Comiskey, has called on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue to come forward with supports for farmers to plant catch crops to help underpin the store lamb trade this year.
The store lamb trade is starting. While initial indications are of solid demand for the numbers available at the moment, it’s critical the Minister provides meaningful incentives to farmers who are prepared to plant catch crops to finish these lambs.
Mr Comiskey said sheep farmers like all other sectors are feeling the impact of higher production costs and are concerned about making investments to finish lambs into the winter.
“Any tightening in surplus grass and feed will first impact on the store lamb trade and this would have devastating consequences for hill sheep farmers in particular who are heavily dependent on this trade for their income,” he said.