Evidence of govt commitment to Irish tillage 'a matter of priority' - farm org
Irish Farmers Association (IFA) representatives are to meet with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, to discuss the state of Irish tillage and the sector's ongoing support needs.
According to IFA Grain Committee chairperson, Kieran McEvoy, the time for government action is now.
He said: "Both leading parties in the current government promised significant and additional funding for tillage prior to the last general election.
“We need to see evidence of this commitment coming through as a matter of priority.
McEvoy was speaking in the wake of a series of tillage meetings, attended by tillage farmers.
“We also met with feed compounders and merchants,” the IFA representative continued.
McEvoy said the IFA will be calling on Minister Heydon to commit to an additional €250/ha payment for tillage farmers over a five-year period commencing in 2026.
“And this must be agreed prior to the 2026 Budget. There will also be a need for government to provide a specific €250/ha payment to cover the significant financial shortfalls that will be generated in the current cropping year," he said.
In addition to meeting the minister, the IFA will be having discussions with TDs in all the tillage areas during the month of July.
Grain imports will be another issue taken up by the IFA with Martin Heydon and other politicians over the coming weeks.
McEvoy explained: “Grain and other feed materials coming into this country are creating a totally unlevel playing for Irish tillage farmers.
“These imports are grown with herbicides and other pesticides which can no longer be used in this country. And the Irish government must respond accordingly
“Government must also act to ensure that all compound feeds produced in Ireland contain a minimum level of homegrown grains.”
The IFA Grain Committee chairperson has noted the 1% year-on-year increase in the size of Ireland’s tillage area.
“This reflects the fact that most winter crops were established in almost perfect conditions at the back end of last year,” he said
“In turn, this allowed growers to take a more strategic perspective on how they managed their spring planting campaign in 2025."
However, according to McEvoy, this is merely "scratching the surface.
"The national Climate Action Plan recognises the need to extend the footprint of Irish tillage out to 400,000ha by 2030.
"Making this happen will, in the first instance, require that those farmers currently committed to tillage are retained for the future,” he said.
