Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Cookies that are categorised as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Read our privacy policy here for more details.
Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Grain

Move to Suspend Straw Incorporation Scheme a Solo Run that Will Impact Tillage Sector

IFA President Francie Gorman said the Minister for Agriculture’s decision to announce the suspension of the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) without any consultation was a solo run by the Minister, which gave no consideration to the huge challenges being faced by the tillage sector. 

“There is no doubt there are concerns about fodder availability for the upcoming winter. However, what’s needed is for the Minister to sit down with all stakeholders and make a proper plan which considers all sectors and all options. The SIM has been positive for tillage farmers during very tough conditions,” he said

Last week, there was an online meeting of the Fodder and Food Security Committee which was established by the Minister.

“While there was certainly discussion about the straw chopping measure, there was no consensus, or even a formal proposal to suspend the measure,” he said.

“The Minister has now completely ignored this group and driven on with his own announcement,” he said.

IFA Grain chair Kieran McEvoy said tillage farmers will be very disillusioned at this move.

“The reality is that tillage farmers can opt out of the scheme if they so wish. Leaving this option open until after the harvest would see a lot of the better straw baled rather than ploughed in,” he said.

“Straw from some crops will not be suitable for forage, so removing these hits the bottom line for tillage farmers,” he said.

“Incomes for tillage farmers are set to be hammered in 2024 due bad weather, a decline in winter plantings by 35% and free-falling grain market,” he said.

“Earlier this year, the Minister himself announced that he intended to support tillage farmers with a payment of at least €100 per hectare. There is still little or no detail on this and now the Minister is taking a payment away from tillage farmers,” he said. 

IFA has sought a meeting with the Minister to discuss the issue as soon as possible. 

Related Articles