IFA Grain Committee Appears Before Joint Oireachtas Committee on Challenges for the Tillage Sector

IFA Grain Chair Kieran McEvoy is appearing before the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Agriculture this afternoon with a delegation to highlight the very serious situation for the tillage sector.

“The sector is in crisis at the moment and morale among growers is at an all-time low. The huge attendance at the recent IFA meeting in Naas is testament to this. Farmers explained in stark terms to Minister Heydon that support is needed to secure the future of the sector,” he said.

IFA has put forward a tillage survival payment of €250/ha, which would require funding of €65m over a five-year period.

“Both Government parties committed to support for the tillage sector in the Programme for Government. This must manifest itself in an announcement as part of Budget ’26 next Tuesday,” he said.

Kieran McEvoy set out to the Committee the various challenges that exist for the tillage growers, including costs of production; a reduction in direct payments; access to land; and imported grain.

“It is clear that the sector is acutely vulnerable and facing significant challenges. The Government had previously set a target under the Climate Action Plan to increase the ground under tillage to 400,000 ha by 2030. This will not be achieved without a strong signal from the Government in the form of funding as part of next Tuesday’s Budget announcement,” he said. Read IFA’s submission in full here.