Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has met with members of the Irish Grain Growers’ Group (IGGG) in Co. Laois to listen to their concerns and the current challenges being experienced by tillage farmers.
The exceptional weather conditions at the end of 2023 and into this year resulted in “significant challenges” for tillage farmers, but there has been some return to spring work on tillage farms in the last two weeks with improved weather conditions, he said.
Speaking after the meeting, Minister McConalogue said he was glad for the opportunity to meet with representatives of the IGGG and to listen to their concerns yesterday (Tuesday, April 30).
Acknowledging the particular impact of the recent wet weather and the delay in getting spring crops planted, the minister said he recently announced the commitment to deliver €100/ha in financial support for crops planted for the 2024 harvest.
Making the announcement at the recent Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis, Minister McConalogue said he wants to give “confidence” to growers to plant crops this year. However, the minister has “not yet received the funds” for the €100/ha support.
Tillage farmers
Minister McConalogue acknowledged the difficult year last year for tillage farmers and outlined the additional supports that were provided to the sector in 2023. These additional supports included:
- A top-up of €3 million for Protein Aid bringing the total budget to €10 million;
- The Straw Incorporation Measure provided €16.5 million;
- The Tillage Incentive Scheme provided €8.3 million to growers in 2023;
- The €7.147 million secured from the EU Agricultural Reserve was topped up with a further €7.147 million in state funding;
- These funds were used to support growers with unharvested crops through a Unharvested Crop Support Scheme with the remaining funds being used as a once-off flat rate payment on the area of oilseed rape and cereal crops.
In March, the minister also announced an exemption to the crop diversification element of the Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) standard 7, which was one of the proposals made by the European Commission to reduce red tape for farmers.
The exemption eases the concerns for tillage farmers by allowing them to pick the crops that best suit their circumstances, taking account of time of sowing, market returns and seed availability, he said.
The minister emphasised the importance of a “vibrant and sustainable” tillage sector in increasing Ireland’s food and feed security while also contributing to climate change objectives.
The Climate Action Plan 2023 sets out a target to increase the area under tillage to 400,000ha by 2030 as part of agriculture’s commitment to reduce emissions by 25%.
“The tillage sector is an important and integral component of the agri-food industry and is a sector that I want to see grow and develop.
“That is why I established the Food Vision Tillage Group in May 2023 to set out a road map for the sustainable growth and development of the sector to 400,000ha by 2030,” the minister said.
Minister McConalogue recently received the final report from the group, which is aimed at securing a viable future for the Irish tillage sector, and is considering its recommendations.