Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has today (Tuesday, June 17) announced that all applicants for the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) have been accepted into the scheme for 2025.

The Straw Incorporation Measure is a scheme under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023 - 2027.

The scheme is designed to provide financial support for tillage farmers to increase soil organic carbon levels by chopping and incorporating straw from cereal and oilseed rape crops.

The rate of payment will be €250 per hectare for oats, wheat, rye and barley and €150 for oilseed rape, with a minimum claim of 5ha and maximum claim of 40ha.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) confirmed that 3,057 applications for the scheme have been received to date.

The department said that the crop area under the scheme is currently as follows:

Winter wheat: 13,677ha;
Winter barley: 3,676ha;
Winter oats: 10,494;
Spring wheat: 2,010;
Spring barley: 16,990;
Spring oats: 9,937;
Rye: 528;
Winter oilseed rape: 8,777;
Spring oilseed rape: 390.

DAFM noted that these figures represent the areas applied for under the scheme and these will be higher than the final payable areas.

Minister Heydon said that the Straw Incorporation Measure "has proven to be a very popular scheme with tillage farmers again in 2025".

"To ensure all farmers who have applied can be paid, I have made certain that the necessary funding is in place.

"This scheme along with giving tillage farmers an economic boost is also ensuring an increase in carbon sequestration and shows the commitment of Irish farmers to the climate and environment," he said.

“While farmers will receive their acceptance letters for SIM in the coming weeks, it is possible for farmers to withdraw from the scheme in certain circumstances, for example where straw is required for livestock feeding.

"Therefore, I would encourage livestock and tillage farmers to engage fully in the coming weeks to ensure that the needs of both sectors are met," the minister added.

Farmers wishing to contact the department regarding their Straw Incorporation Measure payment, can ring the direct payments helpline at 057-8674422 or by emailing: [email protected].