Announcement of Tillage Supports Timely for Tillage Sector
IFA Grain Chair John Murphy has acknowledged the opening of the €30m National Tillage Sustainability Support Scheme by Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon.
“The €30m scheme announced today is a start. However, IFA strongly believes that €65m per annum is what’s actually needed to support the tillage sector on a multi-annual basis. Government support is vital in ensuring our tillage sector remains viable. However, tillage farmers also need to see a greater value placed on native grains. To this end, the IFA Grain Committee has prepared a discussion document proposing a way forward for greater recognition and inclusion of our domestically produced cereals and proteins in animal feeds,” John Murphy said.
“Ahead of the busy spring season, cash flow is particularly tight on tillage farms after a challenging year for margins in 2025. These supports will be of help to farmers financially and also act as boost to morale which has been at very low ebb,” he said.
“Earlier this year Department of Agriculture officials met IFA Grain Committee representatives on the support proposals. We had constructive engagement on this matter,” he said.
“The scheme structure appears straightforward and based around the area of crops submitted by farmers on their 2025 BISS form. I would urge tillage farmers to apply online through the MyAgFood portal by Mon, March 9th,” John Murphy concluded.
