Livestock farmers urged to liaise with tillage sector on straw
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA) has urged livestock farmers to liaise with tillage farmers following the announcement that the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) will proceed this year.
The tillage chair of the ICSA, Gavin Carberry said "now is the time for livestock farmers to liaise with tillage farmers regarding their straw requirements for the winter".
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue announced yesterday (Thursday, July 25), that the SIM will continue in 2024, and proposed that those that withdraw from the SIM and bale will receive a payment of €175/ha.
The minister's u-turn comes after firm backlash from farm organisations and several politicians, including from within his own department, following his proposal made last week to defer the SIM for 2024, citing concerns over a fodder shortage.
“Tillage farmers will currently be deciding whether to bale straw or chop it as part of the revised Straw Incorporation Measure. It is therefore crucial for livestock farmers to figure out what they need and get their orders in,” Carberry said.
The option for farmers to either withdraw from the SIM and bale straw at a rate of €175/ha, or continue in the scheme and receive a payment of €250/ha for oats, rye, wheat and barley is a "win-win situation", he said.
While the funding will stay within the sector, and other sectors will "gain access" to additional straw and fodder, he said the ICSA is still concerned that this "might not be sufficient" to ensure adequate fodder supplies for the winter.
The ICSA said it proposed "some flexibility" in the baling option so that individual plots can be used for both baling and chopping, for example, the headlands could be chopped while the rest of the plot is baled.
"This approach would be far more practical than having to decide in advance whether entire plots will be chopped or baled. Consideration must also be given to allowing tillage farmers the option to whole-cut grain for silage instead of traditional combine harvesting.
"Time is of the essence with this one, however, and a decision on that would need to be made in the next week or two.
"Likewise, a Fodder Production Incentive Measure may still be required. ICSA has proposed a scheme similar to the 2018 scheme to encourage tillage farmers to sow forage crops on their land," Carberry said.
