Tillage industry representatives have called for the Food Vision tillage group report to be actioned immediately to supply financial assistance to farmers.

Tillage Industry Ireland (TII), which represents farmers, seed assemblers, merchants and inputs suppliers, said: “Weakening grain prices, difficult harvest weather and improving prospects in other sectors signal an urgency for Government to implement the recommendations in the Food Vision tillage group report.

“This report, which involved months of work from industry representatives, details 28 actions to be undertaken.

Expansion

"The first two actions outline the need for a tillage expansion and sustainability scheme and call for an immediate financial support package for the 2024 growing season. These two measures need to be implemented immediately.

“A ministerial announcement of €100/ha (€40/ac) for arable crops has not been delivered and is wholly inadequate to help farmers who are losing money on poor-yielding crops this year.”

The group outlined that a further loss of tillage land “seems inevitable”, despite the Government’s target to increase tillage area.

National plan needed

The group said: “The Irish tillage sector needs a national plan to support its ongoing development and to allow it to stand on its own two feet by adding value to Irish grain, while supporting the environmental footprint of our livestock exports.

“The 2025 season has already started with oilseed rape planting. Support is needed immediately.”

The group outlined that other actions which should be considered are the investigation of insurance to secure incomes and to drive a reward system for the preferential use of Irish feed grains and protein to exploit opportunities for value-added Irish feed.

Tillage Industry Ireland was established by a number of stakeholders in the tillage industry to provide a unified approach to the sector’s development.

The group is made up of sellers of inputs, buyers of grain, producers of feed, suppliers of seed and services, as well as growers.