Senator Phil Prendergast

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Farmers must not be excluded from flood compensation deal

Issued : Tuesday 24 November, 2009

 Farmers seriously affected by the ongoing heavy flooding should be eligible for compensation, South Tipperary Senator Phil Prendergast has said.

“I support the IFA’s call for the immediate disbursement of any payments due to farmers to help alleviate the further hardship heaped upon farmers after what has already been a very bad year.

“The Autumn price for beef was the worst in 20 years and many factories are just not taking in cattle for slaughter at the moment.

“The wet Spring hindered grass growth this year meaning cattle did put not on weight and the damp Summer meant there was no flush of grass for fattening.

“This also meant fodder harvesting was all but pointless at the start of the Summer.

“Farmers have been forced to pay to house and feed cattle that should have been sent for slaughter months ago.

“The flooding is likely to push up feed prices because the maize and beet used for this is usually harvested around now. But farmers will be unable to do this because the flooding will prevent access their land for a number of weeks.

“Indeed much of the harvest will be lost altogether while whatever is harvested is likely to be low quality because it will be sodden.

“All of this is against a backdrop of banks being bailed out by a Government that has failed to ensure that the credit needed by people like farmers is available.

“My colleague Alan Kelly MEP has called for the Government to apply for cash from the EU Solidarity Fund. And farmers should be included in any compensation measure formulated by government to help the thousands of people whose homes and businesses have damaged by the floods.”