Minister Heydon not in favour of straw scheme suspension
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Martin Heydon has said that he does not agree with suspending the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) this year.
The comments follow an announcement by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue yesterday (Wednesday, July 17) of his intention to seek a deferral of the 2024 scheme from the European Commission.
McConalogue said that while he appreciates that tillage farmers “may be disappointed by this move”, there is a “very strong market for straw this year due to the shortage and the need to replenish supplies”.
The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) and the Irish Grain Growers (IGG) have both said that the proposal to suspend the measure is “totally unacceptable”.
In a statement issued today, Minister Heydon said that the SIM has been "incredibly well received by tillage farmers since its introduction in 2021".
He said the measure has allowed farmers "to build organic stocks in their soil in addition to providing an important financial support".
Total payments to tillage farmers participating in the scheme last year amounted to €12.3 million.
Minister Heydon noted that farmers had made plans earlier this year "in the expectation that this measure would be available as it is part of Ireland's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) strategic plan.
He added that applications for the scheme were submitted during the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application window earlier this year.
"Suspending the scheme now as harvest is underway across the country has thrown many farmers plans into disarray," he said.
Minister Heydon said he is "concerned about the level of consultation that took place with farmers and their representatives prior to this change being proposed as there are very real consequences for those impacted".
"While there are genuine concerns around straw and fodder availability due to inclement weather, suspending the entire SIM will not fix that issue but will create significant difficulties within the tillage sector.
"There is also a risk that European money will go unclaimed in the event of a full suspension as this is a co-funded scheme," he said.
The minister noted that SIM applicants can already withdraw from the scheme to make straw available for baling.
He said that "additional flexibilities within the scheme should be explored before a full suspension is considered, but it is vital that a similar level of support is made available to the sector as a matter of urgency".
