The sombre mood that seemed to permeate every aspect of the tillage sector over the past 12 months and more has lifted – and it is a welcome transition that has taken only a few days to secure.
Yes, there were a couple of very wet days last week, impacting – for the most part – on the north-east of the country.
However, harvest 2024 is now a reality and initial yields reports are quite promising. Some winter barleys have come in at 4t/ac. Let’s just hope this level of crop performance can be maintained.
It remains a long push for growers between now and the middle of September.
The weather will have to play its part, obviously, in making harvest 2024 a success.
But the other factor now kicking-in with growers is the full realisation that they can secure an additional €100/ha from the government on every crop they combine this year.
This works out an additional support payment across the industry of some €35 million. It is a figure that should not be sniffed at, under any circumstances.
So, depending on the actual yields that farmers receive, they can factor-in an additional €10 to €15/t when it comes to calculating the margins they actually generate on every tonne of grain produced this year.
Tillage sector
But the real challenge facing the tillage sector is that of putting it on a long-term sustainable footing.
Hand to mouth subsidies cut very little ice in this regard. The strategic challenges that confront farmers committed to crop production remain all too obvious.
Securing sustainable prices for their grains is an obvious starting point. Another priority, is that of getting full recognition for the role the tillage sector continues to play in helping Ireland meet its climate change obligations.
The latest Teagasc research has confirmed that many Irish cereal growers have already reach a carbon net zero position, and with a little bit of additional investment this position can be further improved.
All of this is great news for the country. But surely tillage farmers need some form of financial recognition from government and Irish consumers for the role they are playing in delivering a sustainable future for us all.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue and his officials have been pouring over the recommendations contained within the Food Vision Tillage Report for some weeks now.
With the Dáil’s summer recess fast approaching, it is unlikely that any formal response to this critically significant piece of work will be forthcoming before then.
So, it looks as if Budget 2025 will be the vehicle used by the government to confirm its long-term commitment to tillage farming in Ireland.