FERMANAGH farmers are currently facing their worst year in decades, with falling gate prices combining with incessantly wet weather to form a perfect storm of pressure and pain.
The nature of the type of land in Fermanagh, and the fact most of the farming in the county consists of dairy and suckler cows, has meant farmers here have been particularly badly hit by both the continuous rain and the workings of the wider economy.
There have now been renewed calls on Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir to issue support payments to help struggling local farmers cope with the ongoing conditions, similar to the scheme introduced by the Dublin government for southern farmers.
As reported in the Herald earlier this month, average farm incomes have been slashed in half over the past year, with the fall in milk prices meaning dairy farmers have seen even further reductions in their income than those in other areas of farming.
As explained by local farmer, Cllr Sheamus Greene, the wet weather that has been ongoing since the start of the year is also having more of an impact here in Fermanagh than elsewhere, as it is an area with predominantly heavy ground.
Cllr Greene told the Herald he believes 2024 has been the worst year for local farming in his lifetime.
“I remember as far back as the two bad years in the ’80s, that most farmers still talk about,” he said. “In my opinion, this is a worse year.
“It is the worst year in my lifetime, because even those bad years in the ’80s there were a few good weeks early on, but there’s been no good weather whatsoever this year.
“There was no good weather in the spring and there’s been no good weather now in the summer.”
Cllr Greene added, “Most farmers are farming and then have another job as well, to keep the thing going.
“I find it absolutely amazing they are still fit to keep going. Everything goes against them, everyone seems to be against them, it’s just the love of what they do keeps them at it. It’s definitely not the financial reward or anything.”
Earlier this year Cllr Greene wrote to Minister Muir asking for a support scheme to be set up to help struggling farmers.
He was not happy with the reply he received from the Minister, which stated, “Although the weather to date this year had been less than favourable than we would wish for, conditions have improved somewhat in recent months. This has allowed most farmers to make good progress with field work and operations across their enterprises.”
Cllr Greene wrote back to Minister Muir last week, questioning the assessment by his Department that the situation had improved for farmers.
“My response to your reply is, what planet are you living on?” Cllr Greene wrote, noting most of Fermanagh was classed as a ‘Less Favoured Area.’
He explained to the Minister that local farmers were having to house their livestock, which was using up the small amount of fodder they had managed to gather.
He went on to ask the Minister what he was doing to help local farmers not only through the ongoing weather conditions, but also with the recent massive drop in their incomes.
Cllr Greene told the Herald he believed both the Minister and his officials at the Department were “out of touch” with farmers in areas like Fermanagh.
“I was thinking ‘where does this man and his officials live?’ I suppose the thought that came into my head when I asked myself that question was South Belfast, probably,” he said.
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