Minister Heydon to Address National Tillage Crisis Meeting

IFA President Francie Gorman is calling on all tillage farmers to attend an IFA National Tillage Crisis Meeting in the Killashee Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare on Friday, Sept 12th, at 7.30pm.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Martin Heydon will address the meeting. Other contributors on the night will include IFA President Francie Gorman; Teagasc Tillage Specialist, Shay Phelan; IFA Grain Chair Kieran McEvoy; Chair of the Irish Grain Growers Group, James Kelly; Chair of the Tillage Food Vision Group, Matt Dempsey; and Chair of Tillage Industry Ireland, Andy Doyle.

“The situation in the tillage sector has reached a crisis point. With the current indications for feed grain prices, a significant proportion of tillage farmers are facing a loss-making scenario,” Francie Gorman said.

“Government support is unquestionably needed to ensure the tillage sector survives this current crisis but guarantees on this ahead of Budget 2026 have been far from forthcoming. The Minister cannot sit on his hands on this matter,” he added.

“The Programme for Government gave a commitment to invest significantly in our tillage sector. We will be urging the Minister to honour that promise,” he said.

IFA Grain Chair Kieran McEvoy said it was vital that all tillage farmers and other farmers who support the sector to attend the meeting. 

Minister Heydon’s attendance as a vital opportunity to voice the serious concerns tillage farmers have.

“It is important we maximise this opportunity to highlight the deepening pressures that the tillage sector is facing. Tillage farmers cannot continue to make losses, and we need support if the sector is to survive. Despite the straightforward harvest weather, morale is at an all-time low” he said. 

“This meeting is a significant opportunity to task Minister Heydon to find a workable solution for our tillage sector. Otherwise, it faces irreversible decline,” Kieran McEvoy said.