Deputy president of ICMSA, Eamon Carroll, said that it was one of a number of measures that the association had sought for those farmers dealing with a very prolonged period of atrocious weather leading to stressful work scheduling and financial issues on farms. But the ICMSA’s welcome was tempered, he said, by the Department’s decision to introduce yet another paper trail for farmers where a Farm Advisory System (FAS) advisor or nutritionist will have to sign off on the requirement for a higher crude protein concentrate (after April 15).
“To be honest, you only have to look out the window to see the justification for an extension, so the decision is welcome. But the ICMSA thinks the minister should have simply changed the date from April 15 to May 1 and certainly dispensed with the need for a paper trail.
“Farmers have enough on their plate without this additional requirement and involving advisors at one of the most busiest times of the year makes absolutely no sense for a piece of paper that will ultimately end up in a shredder without absolutely no benefit for the environment,” he said.