Louth's Breathnach calls for relief fund to help stricken farmers following Storm Ali

Louth Fianna Fail TD, Declan Breathnach, has this week asked the Minister for Agriculture if there will be a programme of assistance introduced, to help stricken farmers who have lost up to 70% of their maize crop due to Storm Ali.

“I was speaking this week", said Deputy Breathnach, "with Gerard Melia, Louth Chairman of the IFA, who had been inundated with calls from concerned farmers, some of them having lost their entire crop.  

"North Dublin and Counties Louth and Meath were hit hard by the high winds during Storm Ali."

He continued, "The problem for maize growers in particular, is that harvesting machinery is incapable of lifting a maize crop once it has fallen, unlike most other crops which can be harvested from the ground.

“For some farmers, maize growing is their entire enterprise whereby they are suppliers of maize.  

"Other farmers are extremely worried by the loss of their maize crop as this is a loss of their animal feed, and further adds to the fodder shortage crisis.

“The minister needs to assist those who have had their crop wiped out in the storm.  The livelihood of farming families must be sustained,” concluded Breathnach.