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South Tipperary triple auction sees 57 acres fetch EUR20k/acre

  //humor-quirks.news-articles.net/content/2025/10 .. ple-auction-sees-57-acres-fetch-eur20k-acre.html
  Published in Humor and Quirks on Tuesday, October 21st 2025 at 8:29 GMT by Irish Examiner
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Irish Farmers Face a Double Threat: Climate Stress and Sky‑High Feed Costs

The Irish Examiner’s farming coverage on 21 March 2024 reports that a new wave of challenges is hitting Ireland’s agricultural community, combining long‑term climate pressures with an acute, short‑term spike in feed prices that threatens the financial viability of many family farms. The story, found at https://www.irishexaminer.com/farming/arid‑41727366.html, paints a picture of a sector in limbo, balancing the need for adaptation with the realities of a global supply chain in flux.

A Weather‑Driven Wake‑Up Call

The piece opens by describing a recent series of unusually dry months across the country, a pattern that analysts are linking to the broader effects of climate change. Farmers in County Cork, County Kerry, and the mid‑lands report that rainfall has fallen below the 30‑year average by more than 20 %, leading to lower pasture growth and a higher reliance on stored feed. “It’s like we’re living in a drought that never ends,” says Seán Ó Murchú, a dairy farmer in County Limerick. His comments are echoed across the article, which includes brief testimonials from producers in Northern Ireland and the Republic.

The link to the Irish Climate Change Strategy page (https://www.climatechange.ie/strategy) provides context for the article’s background on the country’s commitments under the Paris Agreement, emphasizing that Irish agriculture must contribute to a 30 % reduction in greenhouse‑gas emissions by 2030. This climate mandate, while essential for environmental stewardship, adds another layer of pressure to farmers who already face high input costs.

Feed Prices Soar to New Heights

In a stark contrast to the slowly evolving climate story, the Examiner highlights a sharp, short‑term surge in the cost of animal feed. The article attributes the rise to a confluence of factors:

1. Global supply chain disruptions following the COVID‑19 pandemic, which have slowed grain exports and increased freight costs.
2. Higher energy prices that raise the cost of producing and transporting feed.
3. Increased demand from livestock producers worldwide, especially in China and the United States, where dairy and beef production is booming.

The piece cites figures from the Agricultural Research Centre (ARC) that show feed prices have risen by an average of 12 % in the last quarter, with a projected 18 % increase for the next six months. Local farmer groups are reacting by reducing herd sizes, cutting pasture usage, and in some cases, abandoning livestock altogether.

To illustrate the impact, the story includes an embedded chart from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (DAFF) showing the correlation between feed price spikes and dairy farm profitability. An embedded link to the DAFF’s feed price monitoring dashboard (https://daff.gov.ie/feeds) allows readers to track live data, underscoring the article’s data‑driven approach.

Government Response: A Patchwork of Measures

The Irish government’s reply to the crisis, as reported in the Examiner, has been a mix of temporary subsidies, long‑term strategic planning, and diplomatic engagement with the European Union. Key initiatives highlighted include:

• The Emergency Feed Assistance Scheme (EFAS), which offers a one‑time grant of €2,000 per dairy unit to help cover the cost of imported feed. The scheme’s details are linked directly to the DAFF’s policy page (https://daff.gov.ie/policies/efas).
• A proposed increase in the Rural Development Programme (RDP) support to cover irrigation infrastructure that can help farms become less water‑dependent. This is tied to a broader RDP strategic review (https://daff.gov.ie/rdp/strategic-review).
• Engagement with the European Commission over a revised Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that would provide additional buffer stock provisions for farmers in drought‑prone regions. The article links to a European Commission briefing (https://ec.europa.eu/agr/policies/cap).

While the government acknowledges that “short‑term relief is essential, we must not lose sight of the long‑term goal of sustainability,” critics argue that the measures are insufficient and unevenly distributed.

Grassroots Resistance and Advocacy

The Examiner’s narrative does not shy away from the tension between farmers and policymakers. A key segment covers a protest march organized by the National Farmers Union (NFU) that took place in Dublin on 15 March. The NFU demanded:

• A permanent increase in feed subsidies.
• A national drought contingency fund.
• A shift in the CAP to include “green” subsidies that reward low‑carbon farming practices.

Quotes from NFU president Aine McCarthy (“We can’t afford to lose our farms to a market that doesn’t understand the realities of farming”) bring the story’s human element to life. The article also links to the NFU’s official statement (https://nfu.ie/press/2024/03/drought-protest) for readers who wish to dive deeper into the union’s position.

The Economic Toll: Numbers That Matter

One of the article’s strengths is its use of concrete economic figures to contextualize the crisis. It cites a DAFF report estimating that the combined cost of higher feed prices and reduced output could reduce national dairy output by 4 % in the next year, amounting to a €250 million loss. The piece juxtaposes this figure with a projection that a sustained climate‑adaptation program—incorporating drought‑resistant fodder varieties, precision irrigation, and carbon‑neutral energy use—could offset the loss in just five years.

A sidebar charts the projected trajectory of Irish farm profits under three scenarios: (1) status quo, (2) with EFAS and RDP support, and (3) with a full CAP overhaul. The data points provide readers with a clear visual of potential futures, underscoring the stakes involved.

Looking Ahead: A Call for Integrated Policy

The article concludes on an optimistic note, calling for an integrated approach that marries short‑term financial relief with long‑term resilience. The Irish Examiner urges policymakers to consider the following steps:

1. Expanding feed subsidy mechanisms to cover a broader base of producers, especially smaller family farms.
2. Investing in research and development for climate‑resilient crops, as indicated by the links to the Irish Research Council’s agriculture funding page (https://research.ie/agr).
3. Implementing a national drought contingency fund that can be accessed quickly in future crises.
4. Reforming the CAP to embed climate‑friendly incentives that reward low‑carbon practices and support rural communities.

In a landscape where climate volatility and global market forces intersect, the article serves as both a warning and a roadmap. It reminds readers that the health of Ireland’s farming sector is inextricably tied to the country’s economic stability, environmental stewardship, and social fabric. The urgency of the situation is clear: the next few years will define whether Irish farms can thrive, adapt, and sustain the generations that will follow.