The new Climate Action Plan aims to increase tillage area to 360,000ha by 2025 and 400,000ha by 2030.

There are currently approximately 348,700ha under tillage and livestock farmers are being encouraged to move to the sector to reduce farm emissions.

New food markets and increased use of Irish grain in Irish whiskey production are seen as solutions to find markets for this produce, as well as a focus on Irish protein, which can help to reduce artificial nitrogen use.

There is a target to increase protein area to 40,000ha, which is already a target of the Department of Agriculture.

Overall, there is an aim to increase the tillage and horticultural area.

The document says this should be possible “despite increasing land competition from the dairy sector”.

The plan also aims to increase the area planted to cover crops, the amounts of cereal straw being incorporated and states the need to continue supports for capital investment.