Farmers salt lanes to keep business afloat

Rural roads have been treacherous for more than two weeks now with sub-zero temperatures leading to hard frosts and further snowfall since Christmas.

Road conditions have threatened essential milk collections from dairy farms throughout the district, with milk tankers finding it difficult to travel on narrow, icy roads.

Jim McIlroy, a farmer in Finnis told the Leader he has been out all week directing milk tankers to his 150-strong dairy cow farm on the Carrigagh Road, one of the worst in the district according to his local postman.

A spokesperson for the Ulster Farmers’ Union Banbridge office said a near-crisis had been averted after farmers tried to salt and grit as much of their own lanes as possible.

He said, “United Dairy Farmers sent a text to all the dairy farmers in the area to try and gather up as much salt as they could and to sort their lanes and roads out so that milk collections could take place as normal.

“Fortunately that means we have averted the crisis as much as possible.

“But the distinct lack of grit on rural roads must be acknowledged and addressed.

“The Roads Service have said they have set out a plan for next year but what good is that to farmers in the short-term?”

DUP Councillor David Herron, who is a farmer himself, said he has had numerous calls from farmers having difficulty going about their day’s work.

He said, “My phone hasn’t stopped ringing over this last couple of weeks.

“Everyone has been hit hard and unfortunately there was a while there when there was grit available but not salt and so the grit didn’t work properly.

“People have really battled through and pulled together to get through this bad spell.”

Meanwhile potato farmers have also been affected lately, with frost destroying remaining crops in the ground.

One potato farmer, who did not wish to be named, said, “Luckily most farmers will have their crops out of the ground and in storage now but if not there is a very real possibility the ground could be waterlogged and the crops rotten.”