Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) tillage chair Gavin Carberry called for 2024’s Straw Incorporation Measure funding to be paid to farmers for baling straw if the measure is shelved this year.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue made a surprise announcement on Wednesday that he will look to suspend the tillage scheme for 2024 amid fodder and straw availability concerns.

Carberry said that tillage farmers’ bottom lines would be worse off if they were to bale straw instead of chopping it and receiving payment for doing so.

“Many tillage farmers were relying on this payment, but now they find themselves not only losing out on the payment but also facing significant fertiliser bills next year due to not incorporating straw," he commented.

Option

“Farmers participating in the scheme have always had the option to pull out of the scheme if there was the potential to make more by selling.

“However, this has never been the case and all farmers who signed up for this year will lose out financially.”

The ICSA has warned that the move represents a blow to farmer confidence in the tillage sector and, coming just weeks before winter planting takes place, could dent the tillage sector and the longer-term supply of straw.

“This decision will also do nothing to help increase the area under tillage to 400,000 hectares by 2030,” Carberry stated.

“It sends out a very bad message that the Department of Agriculture can just pull schemes at the drop of a hat. Confidence in schemes is already at an all-time low, particularly given the debacle over ACRES payments.”

Existing flexibility

The ICSA tillage chair also pointed out that if farmers wish to sell into the straw market at any stage, they can withdraw in full or in part from the scheme without penalty.

“In addition, farmers were able to withdraw parcels from the scheme if there was extra demand for straw, so we cannot see any justification for scrapping the scheme altogether for this year,” he said.

Carberry stated that four in five tillage farmers were not able to clear farm bills in 2023.

“This year is shaping up to be just as grim, as most spring cereals sown in May will not be harvested until late September,” he continued.

“The short days will then increase the risk of the crop not being saved at all, potentially a repeat of last year.”