Full Acceptance into Straw Incorporation Measure Positive for Tillage Farmers – IFA
Commenting on the announcement today by the Minister for Agriculture that all applicants who applied for the Straw Incorporation Measure in 2025 will be accepted, IFA Grain Chair Kieran McEvoy said this is a rare, good news story for a sector badly in need of a lift.
“Straw yields on crops this year will be very varied with crops such as winter barley and winter wheat looking very promising but many spring barley crops unfortunately look set to produce well below average yields of grain and straw and the SIM payment will be a particularly important economic support for these crops,” Kieran McEvoy said.
“Income prospects for tillage in 2025 remain on the floor and confidence amongst growers is at very low ebb with many leaving the sector. The combination of a decline in world grain markets to prices sub €200/t, high input and overhead costs and very moderate yield prospects for our largest crop; spring barley, will mean margins will decline significantly this year,” the IFA Grain Chair said.
The IFA Grain Committee believe a 5-year €250/ha support payment must be introduced for tillage farmers to help stabilise sector, without further action the tillage area will only decline further which is totally contrary to government policy,” Kieran McEvoy concluded.
